Systems and Methods for Expedited Access to Applications

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for determining information of applications are described herein. A computing device may receive, from one or more client devices, data indicating application usage events. The computing device may determine, based on the data, popular applications that a target user regularly uses. The computing device may determine, based on the data, recommended applications that users similar to the target user regularly use. The computing device may determine, based on the popular applications and/or the recommended applications, a collection of applications for the target user. The collection of applications may be displayed on a user interface of a client device associated with the target user for expedited access of interested applications.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to PCT International Application No.PCT/CN2020/074734, filed Feb. 11, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR EXPEDITED ACCESS TO APPLICATIONS,” which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

Aspects described herein generally relate to computer networking, remotecomputer access, virtualization, and hardware and software relatedthereto. More specifically, one or more aspects are described for userinterfaces, in which to access applications.

BACKGROUND

Enterprises are increasingly adopting cloud computing services, whichmay provide various services to users. The users may be provided with aplurality of applications that they are allowed to access. And the usersmay select, from the plurality of applications, one or more applicationsthat they are interested in accessing.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of various aspects describedherein. This summary is not an extensive overview, and is not intendedto identify required or critical elements or to delineate the scope ofthe claims. The following summary merely presents some concepts in asimplified form as an introductory prelude to the more detaileddescription provided below.

Aspects described herein are directed towards methods and systems fordynamically determining application information for generating userinterfaces for expedited access to applications. A computing device mayidentify applications launched by a first client device, theidentification including a determination of an amount of time in whichindividual applications were in use on the first client device. Thecomputing device may determine a usage score of the identifiedapplications of the first client device based on the determined amountof time in which the individual applications were in use. The computingdevice may identify other client devices based on the determined usagescore of the identified applications launched by the first clientdevice. The computing device may determine at least one recommendedapplication to make accessible to the first client device, the at leastone recommended application being an application of at least one of theidentified other client devices. The computing device may provide accessto the at least one recommended application via a user interface of thefirst client device so as to reduce time in which to launch the at leastone recommended application via the first client device.

In some examples, the computing device may receive, from the firstclient device, data indicating an application usage event. Theapplication usage event may indicate a first application outputted viathe first client device and a time interval during which the firstapplication was outputted via the first client device.

In some examples, the amount of time in which the individualapplications were in use on the first client device may indicate anamount of time during which the individual applications were outputtedvia an active window of a desktop of the first client device.

In some examples, the amount of time in which the individualapplications were in use on the first client device may indicate anamount of time within a first calculation period. The computing devicemay determine the usage score of the identified applications of thefirst client device based on one or more amounts of time within one ormore second calculation periods.

In some examples, the computing device may assign different weights tothe amount of time within the first calculation period and the one ormore amounts of time within the one or more second calculation periods.The computing device may determine the usage score of the identifiedapplications of the first client device based on the different weights.

In some examples, the computing device may determine the usage score ofthe identified applications of the first client device based on aprevious usage score of the identified applications of the first clientdevice.

In some examples, the computing device may determine the usage score ofthe identified applications of the first client device by assigning afirst weight to the amount of time in which the individual applicationswere in use on the first client device, and by assigning a second weightto the previous usage score of the identified applications of the firstclient device.

In some examples, the first weight and the second weight may bedetermined based on a number of times that the determining the usagescore of the identified applications of the first client device isperformed.

In some examples, the computing device may receive, from a directoryservice, data indicating a plurality of user groups. The computingdevice may determine, from the plurality of user groups, a first usergroup associated with the first client device. The computing device maydetermine, from the plurality of user groups, one or more second usergroups associated with similar group application usage attributes as thefirst user group. The other client devices may be associated with usersof the one or more second user groups.

In some examples, the computing device may determine the one or moresecond user groups by determining, for a second user group of the one ormore second user groups, a set of applications used by the second usergroup, and by determining that a degree of overlap between the set ofapplications used by the second user group and a set of applicationsused by the first user group satisfies a threshold degree of overlap.

In some examples, the computing device may identify the other clientdevices by determining, for a client device of the other client devices,a vector of application usage attributes, wherein the vector indicatesone or more amounts of application usage time, and by determining adistance between the vector for the client device of the other clientdevices and a vector for the first client device.

In some examples, the computing device may select, from the identifiedapplications of the first client device and based on the usage score ofthe identified applications of the first client device, at least one topranked application.

In some examples, the computing device may determine the at least onerecommended application by determining the at least one recommendedapplication other than the at least one top ranked application.

In some examples, the computing device may determine the usage score ofthe identified applications of the first client device based on a typeof application usage of the identified applications of the first clientdevice.

These and additional aspects will be appreciated with the benefit of thedisclosures discussed in further detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of aspects described herein and theadvantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the followingdescription in consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which likereference numbers indicate like features, and wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative computer system architecture that may beused in accordance with one or more illustrative aspects describedherein.

FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative remote-access system architecture thatmay be used in accordance with one or more illustrative aspectsdescribed herein.

FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative virtualized system architecture that maybe used in accordance with one or more illustrative aspects describedherein.

FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative cloud-based system architecture that maybe used in accordance with one or more illustrative aspects describedherein.

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative enterprise mobility management system.

FIG. 6 depicts another illustrative enterprise mobility managementsystem.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example system providingexpedited access to applications.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example system for determininginformation of applications for generating user interfaces for expeditedaccess.

FIG. 9 is an event sequence showing an example method related toexpedited access to applications.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example method for determiningapplication information for generating user interfaces for expeditedaccess.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example method for determining usagescores for applications associated with a target user.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example method for determining usergroup(s) similar to the user group in which the target user is a member.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example method for determiningrecommended applications based on application usage of similar users tothe target user.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example user hierarchy withwhich features described herein may be implemented.

FIG. 15 shows an example of a spare symmetric matrix with which featuresdescribed herein may be implemented.

FIG. 16 shows an example user interface for expedited access toapplications.

FIGS. 17A-17B show example user interfaces for expedited access toapplications.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example method for providing expeditedexcess to applications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of the various embodiments, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings identified above and which form a parthereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various embodimentsin which aspects described herein may be practiced. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural andfunctional modifications may be made without departing from the scopedescribed herein. Various aspects are capable of other embodiments andof being practiced or being carried out in various different ways.

As a general introduction to the subject matter described in more detailbelow, aspects described herein are directed towards methods and systemsfor expedited access to applications. Cloud computing services mayprovide various services (e.g., virtual applications) to users. Theusers may be provided with a collection of applications that they areallowed to access. And the users may select, from the collection ofapplications, one or more applications that they are interested inaccessing. The collection of applications may comprise a large number ofapplications, and/or may include applications that are not of interestto the users. This may contribute to causing a user taking a long timeto access and launch an application. For example, users may havedifficulty identifying, from the collection of applications, anapplication that the user may be interested in accessing. Enterpriseorganizations in which the user is a member may comprise a number ofdifferent departments (e.g., engineering department, accountingdepartment, legal department, etc.), for example, may subscribe toapplications that are of potential interest to all of its departmentsand/or members. The user may reside within a particular department. Theuser may be allowed to access all of the application subscribed by theenterprise organization. As a result, the collection of applications tobe presented to the user may include applications of potential interestto other departments, but not of potential interest to the user.

Dynamically determining application information (e.g., indicating acollection of applications of interest to the user) for generating userinterfaces for expedited access may help alleviate the challengesdescribed above. Application information for a particular user may bedetermined, for example, based on the user's application usage behaviorand/or other users' application usage behavior. The applicationinformation may indicate, for example, first applications that areregularly used by the user and/or second applications that are rarelyused by the user but are regularly used by users having similarapplication usage patterns as the user. Including the first applicationsin the customized application information may facilitate the user'sidentification and/or activation of an application (e.g., applicationlaunch) that the user intends to access. Including the secondapplications in the application information may help introduce newapplications of potential interest to the user, as these applicationsare regularly used by other similar users. Determining applicationinformation for generating user interfaces may help increase userconvenience in accessing applications. The application information maybe determined and/or updated dynamically (e.g., periodically) to adaptto changing user behavior. A computing device may receive, from one ormore user devices, data indicating application usage events. Thecomputing device may determine, based on the data, popular applicationsthat a target user regularly uses. The computing device may determine,based on the data, recommended applications that users similar to thetarget user regularly use. The computing device may determine, based onthe popular applications and/or the recommended applications, customizedapplication information for the target user. The customized applicationinformation may be delivered to a user device associated with the targetuser, and may be used to generate a user interface on the user device,so that the user may have expedited access to interested applications.For example, applications indicated in the application information maybe displayed as icons (and/or other types of identifiers) on the userinterface, and the selection of such an icon may cause the user device(and/or associated computing devices) to implement the applicationcorresponding to the icon and to present the implemented application tothe user.

It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used hereinare for the purpose of description and should not be regarded aslimiting. Rather, the phrases and terms used herein are to be giventheir broadest interpretation and meaning. The use of “including” and“comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the itemslisted thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional itemsand equivalents thereof. The use of the terms “connected,” “coupled,”and similar terms, is meant to include both direct and indirectmounting, connecting, coupling, positioning and engaging.

Computing Architecture

Computer software, hardware, and networks may be utilized in a varietyof different system environments, including standalone, networked,remote-access (also known as remote desktop), virtualized, and/orcloud-based environments, among others. FIG. 1 illustrates one exampleof a system architecture and data processing device that may be used toimplement one or more illustrative aspects described herein in astandalone and/or networked environment. Various network nodes 103, 105,107, and 109 may be interconnected via a wide area network (WAN) 101,such as the Internet. Other networks may also or alternatively be used,including private intranets, corporate networks, local area networks(LAN), metropolitan area networks (MAN), wireless networks, personalnetworks (PAN), and the like. Network 101 is for illustration purposesand may be replaced with fewer or additional computer networks. A localarea network 133 may have one or more of any known LAN topology and mayuse one or more of a variety of different protocols, such as Ethernet.Devices 103, 105, 107, and 109 and other devices (not shown) may beconnected to one or more of the networks via twisted pair wires, coaxialcable, fiber optics, radio waves, or other communication media.

The term “network” as used herein and depicted in the drawings refersnot only to systems in which remote storage devices are coupled togethervia one or more communication paths, but also to stand-alone devicesthat may be coupled, from time to time, to such systems that havestorage capability. Consequently, the term “network” includes not only a“physical network” but also a “content network,” which is comprised ofthe data—attributable to a single entity—which resides across allphysical networks.

The components may include data server 103, web server 105, and clientcomputers 107, 109. Data server 103 provides overall access, control andadministration of databases and control software for performing one ormore illustrative aspects describe herein. Data server 103 may beconnected to web server 105 through which users interact with and obtaindata as requested. Alternatively, data server 103 may act as a webserver itself and be directly connected to the Internet. Data server 103may be connected to web server 105 through the local area network 133,the wide area network 101 (e.g., the Internet), via direct or indirectconnection, or via some other network. Users may interact with the dataserver 103 using remote computers 107, 109, e.g., using a web browser toconnect to the data server 103 via one or more externally exposed websites hosted by web server 105. Client computers 107, 109 may be used inconcert with data server 103 to access data stored therein, or may beused for other purposes. For example, from client device 107 a user mayaccess web server 105 using an Internet browser, as is known in the art,or by executing a software application that communicates with web server105 and/or data server 103 over a computer network (such as theInternet).

Servers and applications may be combined on the same physical machines,and retain separate virtual or logical addresses, or may reside onseparate physical machines. FIG. 1 illustrates just one example of anetwork architecture that may be used, and those of skill in the artwill appreciate that the specific network architecture and dataprocessing devices used may vary, and are secondary to the functionalitythat they provide, as further described herein. For example, servicesprovided by web server 105 and data server 103 may be combined on asingle server.

Each component 103, 105, 107, 109 may be any type of known computer,server, or data processing device. Data server 103, e.g., may include aprocessor 111 controlling overall operation of the data server 103. Dataserver 103 may further include random access memory (RAM) 113, read onlymemory (ROM) 115, network interface 117, input/output interfaces 119(e.g., keyboard, mouse, display, printer, etc.), and memory 121.Input/output (I/O) 119 may include a variety of interface units anddrives for reading, writing, displaying, and/or printing data or files.Memory 121 may further store operating system software 123 forcontrolling overall operation of the data processing device 103, controllogic 125 for instructing data server 103 to perform aspects describedherein, and other application software 127 providing secondary, support,and/or other functionality which may or might not be used in conjunctionwith aspects described herein. The control logic 125 may also bereferred to herein as the data server software 125. Functionality of thedata server software 125 may refer to operations or decisions madeautomatically based on rules coded into the control logic 125, mademanually by a user providing input into the system, and/or a combinationof automatic processing based on user input (e.g., queries, dataupdates, etc.).

Memory 121 may also store data used in performance of one or moreaspects described herein, including a first database 129 and a seconddatabase 131. In some embodiments, the first database 129 may includethe second database 131 (e.g., as a separate table, report, etc.). Thatis, the information can be stored in a single database, or separatedinto different logical, virtual, or physical databases, depending onsystem design. Devices 105, 107, and 109 may have similar or differentarchitecture as described with respect to device 103. Those of skill inthe art will appreciate that the functionality of data processing device103 (or device 105, 107, or 109) as described herein may be spreadacross multiple data processing devices, for example, to distributeprocessing load across multiple computers, to segregate transactionsbased on geographic location, user access level, quality of service(QoS), etc.

One or more aspects may be embodied in computer-usable or readable dataand/or computer-executable instructions, such as in one or more programmodules, executed by one or more computers or other devices as describedherein. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks orimplement particular abstract data types when executed by a processor ina computer or other device. The modules may be written in a source codeprogramming language that is subsequently compiled for execution, or maybe written in a scripting language such as (but not limited to)HyperText Markup Language (HTML) or Extensible Markup Language (XML).The computer executable instructions may be stored on a computerreadable medium such as a nonvolatile storage device. Any suitablecomputer readable storage media may be utilized, including hard disks,CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, solid statestorage devices, and/or any combination thereof. In addition, varioustransmission (non-storage) media representing data or events asdescribed herein may be transferred between a source and a destinationin the form of electromagnetic waves traveling through signal-conductingmedia such as metal wires, optical fibers, and/or wireless transmissionmedia (e.g., air and/or space). Various aspects described herein may beembodied as a method, a data processing system, or a computer programproduct. Therefore, various functionalities may be embodied in whole orin part in software, firmware, and/or hardware or hardware equivalentssuch as integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), andthe like. Particular data structures may be used to more effectivelyimplement one or more aspects described herein, and such data structuresare contemplated within the scope of computer executable instructionsand computer-usable data described herein.

With further reference to FIG. 2, one or more aspects described hereinmay be implemented in a remote-access environment. FIG. 2 depicts anexample system architecture including a computing device 201 in anillustrative computing environment 200 that may be used according to oneor more illustrative aspects described herein. Computing device 201 maybe used as a server 206 a in a single-server or multi-server desktopvirtualization system (e.g., a remote access or cloud system) and can beconfigured to provide virtual machines for client access devices. Thecomputing device 201 may have a processor 203 for controlling overalloperation of the device 201 and its associated components, including RAM205, ROM 207, Input/Output (I/O) module 209, and memory 215.

I/O module 209 may include a mouse, keypad, touch screen, scanner,optical reader, and/or stylus (or other input device(s)) through which auser of computing device 201 may provide input, and may also include oneor more of a speaker for providing audio output and one or more of avideo display device for providing textual, audiovisual, and/orgraphical output. Software may be stored within memory 215 and/or otherstorage to provide instructions to processor 203 for configuringcomputing device 201 into a special purpose computing device in order toperform various functions as described herein. For example, memory 215may store software used by the computing device 201, such as anoperating system 217, application programs 219, and an associateddatabase 221.

Computing device 201 may operate in a networked environment supportingconnections to one or more remote computers, such as terminals 240 (alsoreferred to as client devices and/or client machines). The terminals 240may be personal computers, mobile devices, laptop computers, tablets, orservers that include many or all of the elements described above withrespect to the computing device 103 or 201. The network connectionsdepicted in FIG. 2 include a local area network (LAN) 225 and a widearea network (WAN) 229, but may also include other networks. When usedin a LAN networking environment, computing device 201 may be connectedto the LAN 225 through a network interface or adapter 223. When used ina WAN networking environment, computing device 201 may include a modemor other wide area network interface 227 for establishing communicationsover the WAN 229, such as computer network 230 (e.g., the Internet). Itwill be appreciated that the network connections shown are illustrativeand other means of establishing a communications link between thecomputers may be used. Computing device 201 and/or terminals 240 mayalso be mobile terminals (e.g., mobile phones, smartphones, personaldigital assistants (PDAs), notebooks, etc.) including various othercomponents, such as a battery, speaker, and antennas (not shown).

Aspects described herein may also be operational with numerous othergeneral purpose or special purpose computing system environments orconfigurations. Examples of other computing systems, environments,and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with aspectsdescribed herein include, but are not limited to, personal computers,server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems,microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumerelectronics, network personal computers (PCs), minicomputers, mainframecomputers, distributed computing environments that include any of theabove systems or devices, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, one or more client devices 240 may be incommunication with one or more servers 206 a-206 n (generally referredto herein as “server(s) 206”). In one embodiment, the computingenvironment 200 may include a network appliance installed between theserver(s) 206 and client machine(s) 240. The network appliance maymanage client/server connections, and in some cases can load balanceclient connections amongst a plurality of backend servers 206.

The client machine(s) 240 may in some embodiments be referred to as asingle client machine 240 or a single group of client machines 240,while server(s) 206 may be referred to as a single server 206 or asingle group of servers 206. In one embodiment a single client machine240 communicates with more than one server 206, while in anotherembodiment a single server 206 communicates with more than one clientmachine 240. In yet another embodiment, a single client machine 240communicates with a single server 206.

A client machine 240 can, in some embodiments, be referenced by any oneof the following non-exhaustive terms: client machine(s); client(s);client computer(s); client device(s); client computing device(s); localmachine; remote machine; client node(s); endpoint(s); or endpointnode(s). The server 206, in some embodiments, may be referenced by anyone of the following non-exhaustive terms: server(s), local machine;remote machine; server farm(s), or host computing device(s).

In one embodiment, the client machine 240 may be a virtual machine. Thevirtual machine may be any virtual machine, while in some embodimentsthe virtual machine may be any virtual machine managed by a Type 1 orType 2 hypervisor, for example, a hypervisor developed by CitrixSystems, IBM, VMware, or any other hypervisor. In some aspects, thevirtual machine may be managed by a hypervisor, while in other aspectsthe virtual machine may be managed by a hypervisor executing on a server206 or a hypervisor executing on a client 240.

Some embodiments include a client device 240 that displays applicationoutput generated by an application remotely executing on a server 206 orother remotely located machine. In these embodiments, the client device240 may execute a virtual machine receiver program or application todisplay the output in an application window, a browser, or other outputwindow. In one example, the application is a desktop, while in otherexamples the application is an application that generates or presents adesktop. A desktop may include a graphical shell providing a userinterface for an instance of an operating system in which local and/orremote applications can be integrated. Applications, as used herein, areprograms that execute after an instance of an operating system (and,optionally, also the desktop) has been loaded.

The server 206, in some embodiments, uses a remote presentation protocolor other program to send data to a thin-client or remote-displayapplication executing on the client to present display output generatedby an application executing on the server 206. The thin-client orremote-display protocol can be any one of the following non-exhaustivelist of protocols: the Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) protocoldeveloped by Citrix Systems, Inc. of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; or the RemoteDesktop Protocol (RDP) manufactured by the Microsoft Corporation ofRedmond, Wash.

A remote computing environment may include more than one server 206a-206 n such that the servers 206 a-206 n are logically grouped togetherinto a server farm 206, for example, in a cloud computing environment.The server farm 206 may include servers 206 that are geographicallydispersed while logically grouped together, or servers 206 that arelocated proximate to each other while logically grouped together.Geographically dispersed servers 206 a-206 n within a server farm 206can, in some embodiments, communicate using a WAN (wide), MAN(metropolitan), or LAN (local), where different geographic regions canbe characterized as: different continents; different regions of acontinent; different countries; different states; different cities;different campuses; different rooms; or any combination of the precedinggeographical locations. In some embodiments the server farm 206 may beadministered as a single entity, while in other embodiments the serverfarm 206 can include multiple server farms.

In some embodiments, a server farm may include servers 206 that executea substantially similar type of operating system platform (e.g.,WINDOWS, UNIX, LINUX, iOS, ANDROID, etc.) In other embodiments, serverfarm 206 may include a first group of one or more servers that execute afirst type of operating system platform, and a second group of one ormore servers that execute a second type of operating system platform.

Server 206 may be configured as any type of server, as needed, e.g., afile server, an application server, a web server, a proxy server, anappliance, a network appliance, a gateway, an application gateway, agateway server, a virtualization server, a deployment server, a SecureSockets Layer (SSL) VPN server, a firewall, a web server, an applicationserver or as a master application server, a server executing an activedirectory, or a server executing an application acceleration programthat provides firewall functionality, application functionality, or loadbalancing functionality. Other server types may also be used.

Some embodiments include a first server 206 a that receives requestsfrom a client machine 240, forwards the request to a second server 206 b(not shown), and responds to the request generated by the client machine240 with a response from the second server 206 b (not shown.) Firstserver 206 a may acquire an enumeration of applications available to theclient machine 240 as well as address information associated with anapplication server 206 hosting an application identified within theenumeration of applications. First server 206 a can then present aresponse to the client's request using a web interface, and communicatedirectly with the client 240 to provide the client 240 with access to anidentified application. One or more clients 240 and/or one or moreservers 206 may transmit data over network 230, e.g., network 101.

FIG. 3 shows a high-level architecture of an illustrative desktopvirtualization system. As shown, the desktop virtualization system maybe single-server or multi-server system, or cloud system, including atleast one virtualization server 301 configured to provide virtualdesktops and/or virtual applications to one or more client accessdevices 240. As used herein, a desktop refers to a graphical environmentor space in which one or more applications may be hosted and/orexecuted. A desktop may include a graphical shell providing a userinterface for an instance of an operating system in which local and/orremote applications can be integrated. Applications may include programsthat execute after an instance of an operating system (and, optionally,also the desktop) has been loaded. Each instance of the operating systemmay be physical (e.g., one operating system per device) or virtual(e.g., many instances of an OS running on a single device). Eachapplication may be executed on a local device, or executed on a remotelylocated device (e.g., remoted).

A computer device 301 may be configured as a virtualization server in avirtualization environment, for example, a single-server, multi-server,or cloud computing environment. Virtualization server 301 illustrated inFIG. 3 can be deployed as and/or implemented by one or more embodimentsof the server 206 illustrated in FIG. 2 or by other known computingdevices. Included in virtualization server 301 is a hardware layer thatcan include one or more physical disks 304, one or more physical devices306, one or more physical processors 308, and one or more physicalmemories 316. In some embodiments, firmware 312 can be stored within amemory element in the physical memory 316 and can be executed by one ormore of the physical processors 308. Virtualization server 301 mayfurther include an operating system 314 that may be stored in a memoryelement in the physical memory 316 and executed by one or more of thephysical processors 308. Still further, a hypervisor 302 may be storedin a memory element in the physical memory 316 and can be executed byone or more of the physical processors 308.

Executing on one or more of the physical processors 308 may be one ormore virtual machines 332A-C (generally 332). Each virtual machine 332may have a virtual disk 326A-C and a virtual processor 328A-C. In someembodiments, a first virtual machine 332A may execute, using a virtualprocessor 328A, a control program 320 that includes a tools stack 324.Control program 320 may be referred to as a control virtual machine,Dom0, Domain 0, or other virtual machine used for system administrationand/or control. In some embodiments, one or more virtual machines 332B-Ccan execute, using a virtual processor 328B-C, a guest operating system330A-B.

Virtualization server 301 may include a hardware layer 310 with one ormore pieces of hardware that communicate with the virtualization server301. In some embodiments, the hardware layer 310 can include one or morephysical disks 304, one or more physical devices 306, one or morephysical processors 308, and one or more physical memory 316. Physicalcomponents 304, 306, 308, and 316 may include, for example, any of thecomponents described above. Physical devices 306 may include, forexample, a network interface card, a video card, a keyboard, a mouse, aninput device, a monitor, a display device, speakers, an optical drive, astorage device, a universal serial bus connection, a printer, a scanner,a network element (e.g., router, firewall, network address translator,load balancer, virtual private network (VPN) gateway, Dynamic HostConfiguration Protocol (DHCP) router, etc.), or any device connected toor communicating with virtualization server 301. Physical memory 316 inthe hardware layer 310 may include any type of memory. Physical memory316 may store data, and in some embodiments may store one or moreprograms, or set of executable instructions. FIG. 3 illustrates anembodiment where firmware 312 is stored within the physical memory 316of virtualization server 301. Programs or executable instructions storedin the physical memory 316 can be executed by the one or more processors308 of virtualization server 301.

Virtualization server 301 may also include a hypervisor 302. In someembodiments, hypervisor 302 may be a program executed by processors 308on virtualization server 301 to create and manage any number of virtualmachines 332. Hypervisor 302 may be referred to as a virtual machinemonitor, or platform virtualization software. In some embodiments,hypervisor 302 can be any combination of executable instructions andhardware that monitors virtual machines executing on a computingmachine. Hypervisor 302 may be Type 2 hypervisor, where the hypervisorexecutes within an operating system 314 executing on the virtualizationserver 301. Virtual machines may then execute at a level above thehypervisor 302. In some embodiments, the Type 2 hypervisor may executewithin the context of a user's operating system such that the Type 2hypervisor interacts with the user's operating system. In otherembodiments, one or more virtualization servers 301 in a virtualizationenvironment may instead include a Type 1 hypervisor (not shown). A Type1 hypervisor may execute on the virtualization server 301 by directlyaccessing the hardware and resources within the hardware layer 310. Thatis, while a Type 2 hypervisor 302 accesses system resources through ahost operating system 314, as shown, a Type 1 hypervisor may directlyaccess all system resources without the host operating system 314. AType 1 hypervisor may execute directly on one or more physicalprocessors 308 of virtualization server 301, and may include programdata stored in the physical memory 316.

Hypervisor 302, in some embodiments, can provide virtual resources tooperating systems 330 or control programs 320 executing on virtualmachines 332 in any manner that simulates the operating systems 330 orcontrol programs 320 having direct access to system resources. Systemresources can include, but are not limited to, physical devices 306,physical disks 304, physical processors 308, physical memory 316, andany other component included in hardware layer 310 of the virtualizationserver 301. Hypervisor 302 may be used to emulate virtual hardware,partition physical hardware, virtualize physical hardware, and/orexecute virtual machines that provide access to computing environments.In still other embodiments, hypervisor 302 may control processorscheduling and memory partitioning for a virtual machine 332 executingon virtualization server 301. Hypervisor 302 may include thosemanufactured by VMWare, Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif.; HyperV,VirtualServer or virtual PC hypervisors provided by Microsoft, orothers. In some embodiments, virtualization server 301 may execute ahypervisor 302 that creates a virtual machine platform on which guestoperating systems may execute. In these embodiments, the virtualizationserver 301 may be referred to as a host server. An example of such avirtualization server is the Citrix Hypervisor provided by CitrixSystems, Inc., of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Hypervisor 302 may create one or more virtual machines 332B-C (generally332) in which guest operating systems 330 execute. In some embodiments,hypervisor 302 may load a virtual machine image to create a virtualmachine 332. In other embodiments, the hypervisor 302 may execute aguest operating system 330 within virtual machine 332. In still otherembodiments, virtual machine 332 may execute guest operating system 330.

In addition to creating virtual machines 332, hypervisor 302 may controlthe execution of at least one virtual machine 332. In other embodiments,hypervisor 302 may present at least one virtual machine 332 with anabstraction of at least one hardware resource provided by thevirtualization server 301 (e.g., any hardware resource available withinthe hardware layer 310). In other embodiments, hypervisor 302 maycontrol the manner in which virtual machines 332 access physicalprocessors 308 available in virtualization server 301. Controllingaccess to physical processors 308 may include determining whether avirtual machine 332 should have access to a processor 308, and howphysical processor capabilities are presented to the virtual machine332.

As shown in FIG. 3, virtualization server 301 may host or execute one ormore virtual machines 332. A virtual machine 332 is a set of executableinstructions that, when executed by a processor 308, may imitate theoperation of a physical computer such that the virtual machine 332 canexecute programs and processes much like a physical computing device.While FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment where a virtualization server 301hosts three virtual machines 332, in other embodiments virtualizationserver 301 can host any number of virtual machines 332. Hypervisor 302,in some embodiments, may provide each virtual machine 332 with a uniquevirtual view of the physical hardware, memory, processor, and othersystem resources available to that virtual machine 332. In someembodiments, the unique virtual view can be based on one or more ofvirtual machine permissions, application of a policy engine to one ormore virtual machine identifiers, a user accessing a virtual machine,the applications executing on a virtual machine, networks accessed by avirtual machine, or any other desired criteria. For instance, hypervisor302 may create one or more unsecure virtual machines 332 and one or moresecure virtual machines 332. Unsecure virtual machines 332 may beprevented from accessing resources, hardware, memory locations, andprograms that secure virtual machines 332 may be permitted to access. Inother embodiments, hypervisor 302 may provide each virtual machine 332with a substantially similar virtual view of the physical hardware,memory, processor, and other system resources available to the virtualmachines 332.

Each virtual machine 332 may include a virtual disk 326A-C (generally326) and a virtual processor 328A-C (generally 328.) The virtual disk326, in some embodiments, is a virtualized view of one or more physicaldisks 304 of the virtualization server 301, or a portion of one or morephysical disks 304 of the virtualization server 301. The virtualizedview of the physical disks 304 can be generated, provided, and managedby the hypervisor 302. In some embodiments, hypervisor 302 provides eachvirtual machine 332 with a unique view of the physical disks 304. Thus,in these embodiments, the particular virtual disk 326 included in eachvirtual machine 332 can be unique when compared with the other virtualdisks 326.

A virtual processor 328 can be a virtualized view of one or morephysical processors 308 of the virtualization server 301. In someembodiments, the virtualized view of the physical processors 308 can begenerated, provided, and managed by hypervisor 302. In some embodiments,virtual processor 328 has substantially all of the same characteristicsof at least one physical processor 308. In other embodiments, virtualprocessor 308 provides a modified view of physical processors 308 suchthat at least some of the characteristics of the virtual processor 328are different than the characteristics of the corresponding physicalprocessor 308.

With further reference to FIG. 4, some aspects described herein may beimplemented in a cloud-based environment. FIG. 4 illustrates an exampleof a cloud computing environment (or cloud system) 400. As seen in FIG.4, client computers 411-414 may communicate with a cloud managementserver 410 to access the computing resources (e.g., host servers 403a-403 b (generally referred herein as “host servers 403”), storageresources 404 a-404 b (generally referred herein as “storage resources404”), and network elements 405 a-405 b (generally referred herein as“network resources 405”)) of the cloud system.

Management server 410 may be implemented on one or more physicalservers. The management server 410 may run, for example, Citrix Cloud byCitrix Systems, Inc. of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., or OPENSTACK, amongothers. Management server 410 may manage various computing resources,including cloud hardware and software resources, for example, hostcomputers 403, data storage devices 404, and networking devices 405. Thecloud hardware and software resources may include private and/or publiccomponents. For example, a cloud may be configured as a private cloud tobe used by one or more particular customers or client computers 411-414and/or over a private network. In other embodiments, public clouds orhybrid public-private clouds may be used by other customers over an openor hybrid networks.

Management server 410 may be configured to provide user interfacesthrough which cloud operators and cloud customers may interact with thecloud system 400. For example, the management server 410 may provide aset of application programming interfaces (APIs) and/or one or morecloud operator console applications (e.g., web-based or standaloneapplications) with user interfaces to allow cloud operators to managethe cloud resources, configure the virtualization layer, manage customeraccounts, and perform other cloud administration tasks. The managementserver 410 also may include a set of APIs and/or one or more customerconsole applications with user interfaces configured to receive cloudcomputing requests from end users via client computers 411-414, forexample, requests to create, modify, or destroy virtual machines withinthe cloud. Client computers 411-414 may connect to management server 410via the Internet or some other communication network, and may requestaccess to one or more of the computing resources managed by managementserver 410. In response to client requests, the management server 410may include a resource manager configured to select and provisionphysical resources in the hardware layer of the cloud system based onthe client requests. For example, the management server 410 andadditional components of the cloud system may be configured toprovision, create, and manage virtual machines and their operatingenvironments (e.g., hypervisors, storage resources, services offered bythe network elements, etc.) for customers at client computers 411-414,over a network (e.g., the Internet), providing customers withcomputational resources, data storage services, networking capabilities,and computer platform and application support. Cloud systems also may beconfigured to provide various specific services, including securitysystems, development environments, user interfaces, and the like.

Certain clients 411-414 may be related, for example, to different clientcomputers creating virtual machines on behalf of the same end user, ordifferent users affiliated with the same company or organization. Inother examples, certain clients 411-414 may be unrelated, such as usersaffiliated with different companies or organizations. For unrelatedclients, information on the virtual machines or storage of any one usermay be hidden from other users.

Referring now to the physical hardware layer of a cloud computingenvironment, availability zones 401-402 (or zones) may refer to acollocated set of physical computing resources. Zones may begeographically separated from other zones in the overall cloud ofcomputing resources. For example, zone 401 may be a first clouddatacenter located in California, and zone 402 may be a second clouddatacenter located in Florida. Management server 410 may be located atone of the availability zones, or at a separate location. Each zone mayinclude an internal network that interfaces with devices that areoutside of the zone, such as the management server 410, through agateway. End users of the cloud (e.g., clients 411-414) might or mightnot be aware of the distinctions between zones. For example, an end usermay request the creation of a virtual machine having a specified amountof memory, processing power, and network capabilities. The managementserver 410 may respond to the user's request and may allocate theresources to create the virtual machine without the user knowing whetherthe virtual machine was created using resources from zone 401 or zone402. In other examples, the cloud system may allow end users to requestthat virtual machines (or other cloud resources) are allocated in aspecific zone or on specific resources 403-405 within a zone.

In this example, each zone 401-402 may include an arrangement of variousphysical hardware components (or computing resources) 403-405, forexample, physical hosting resources (or processing resources), physicalnetwork resources, physical storage resources, switches, and additionalhardware resources that may be used to provide cloud computing servicesto customers. The physical hosting resources in a cloud zone 401-402 mayinclude one or more computer servers 403, such as the virtualizationservers 301 described above, which may be configured to create and hostvirtual machine instances. The physical network resources in a cloudzone 401 or 402 may include one or more network elements 405 (e.g.,network service providers) comprising hardware and/or softwareconfigured to provide a network service to cloud customers, such asfirewalls, network address translators, load balancers, virtual privatenetwork (VPN) gateways, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)routers, and the like. The storage resources in the cloud zone 401-402may include storage disks (e.g., solid state drives (SSDs), magnetichard disks, etc.) and other storage devices.

The example cloud computing environment shown in FIG. 4 also may includea virtualization layer (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1-3) with additionalhardware and/or software resources configured to create and managevirtual machines and provide other services to customers using thephysical resources in the cloud. The virtualization layer may includehypervisors, as described above in FIG. 3, along with other componentsto provide network virtualizations, storage virtualizations, etc. Thevirtualization layer may be as a separate layer from the physicalresource layer, or may share some or all of the same hardware and/orsoftware resources with the physical resource layer. For example, thevirtualization layer may include a hypervisor installed in each of thevirtualization servers 403 with the physical computing resources. Knowncloud systems may alternatively be used, e.g., WINDOWS AZURE (MicrosoftCorporation of Redmond Wash.), AMAZON EC2 (Amazon.com Inc. of Seattle,Wash.), IBM BLUE CLOUD (IBM Corporation of Armonk, N.Y.), or others.

Enterprise Mobility Management Architecture

FIG. 5 represents an enterprise mobility technical architecture 500 foruse in a “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) environment. The architectureenables a user of a mobile device 502 to both access enterprise orpersonal resources from a mobile device 502 and use the mobile device502 for personal use. The user may access such enterprise resources 504or enterprise services 508 using a mobile device 502 that is purchasedby the user or a mobile device 502 that is provided by the enterprise tothe user. The user may utilize the mobile device 502 for business useonly or for business and personal use. The mobile device 502 may run aniOS operating system, an Android operating system, or the like. Theenterprise may choose to implement policies to manage the mobile device502. The policies may be implemented through a firewall or gateway insuch a way that the mobile device 502 may be identified, secured orsecurity verified, and provided selective or full access to theenterprise resources (e.g., 504 and 508.) The policies may be mobiledevice management policies, mobile application management policies,mobile data management policies, or some combination of mobile device,application, and data management policies. A mobile device 502 that ismanaged through the application of mobile device management policies maybe referred to as an enrolled device.

In some embodiments, the operating system of the mobile device 502 maybe separated into a managed partition 510 and an unmanaged partition512. The managed partition 510 may have policies applied to it to securethe applications running on and data stored in the managed partition510. The applications running on the managed partition 510 may be secureapplications. In other embodiments, all applications may execute inaccordance with a set of one or more policy files received separate fromthe application, and which define one or more security parameters,features, resource restrictions, and/or other access controls that areenforced by the mobile device management system when that application isexecuting on the mobile device 502. By operating in accordance withtheir respective policy file(s), each application may be allowed orrestricted from communications with one or more other applicationsand/or resources, thereby creating a virtual partition. Thus, as usedherein, a partition may refer to a physically partitioned portion ofmemory (physical partition), a logically partitioned portion of memory(logical partition), and/or a virtual partition created as a result ofenforcement of one or more policies and/or policy files across multipleapplications as described herein (virtual partition). Stateddifferently, by enforcing policies on managed applications, thoseapplications may be restricted to only be able to communicate with othermanaged applications and trusted enterprise resources, thereby creatinga virtual partition that is not accessible by unmanaged applications anddevices.

The secure applications may be email applications, web browsingapplications, software-as-a-service (SaaS) access applications, WindowsApplication access applications, and the like. The secure applicationsmay be secure native applications 514, secure remote applications 522executed by a secure application launcher 518, virtualizationapplications 526 executed by a secure application launcher 518, and thelike. The secure native applications 514 may be wrapped by a secureapplication wrapper 520. The secure application wrapper 520 may includeintegrated policies that are executed on the mobile device 502 when thesecure native application 514 is executed on the mobile device 502. Thesecure application wrapper 520 may include meta-data that points thesecure native application 514 running on the mobile device 502 to theresources hosted at the enterprise (e.g., 504 and 508) that the securenative application 514 may require to complete the task requested uponexecution of the secure native application 514. The secure remoteapplications 522 executed by a secure application launcher 518 may beexecuted within the secure application launcher 518. The virtualizationapplications 526 executed by a secure application launcher 518 mayutilize resources on the mobile device 502, at the enterprise resources504, and the like. The resources used on the mobile device 502 by thevirtualization applications 526 executed by a secure applicationlauncher 518 may include user interaction resources, processingresources, and the like. The user interaction resources may be used tocollect and transmit keyboard input, mouse input, camera input, tactileinput, audio input, visual input, gesture input, and the like. Theprocessing resources may be used to present a user interface, processdata received from the enterprise resources 504, and the like. Theresources used at the enterprise resources 504 by the virtualizationapplications 526 executed by a secure application launcher 518 mayinclude user interface generation resources, processing resources, andthe like. The user interface generation resources may be used toassemble a user interface, modify a user interface, refresh a userinterface, and the like. The processing resources may be used to createinformation, read information, update information, delete information,and the like. For example, the virtualization application 526 may recorduser interactions associated with a graphical user interface (GUI) andcommunicate them to a server application where the server applicationwill use the user interaction data as an input to the applicationoperating on the server. In such an arrangement, an enterprise may electto maintain the application on the server side as well as data, files,etc. associated with the application. While an enterprise may elect to“mobilize” some applications in accordance with the principles herein bysecuring them for deployment on the mobile device 502, this arrangementmay also be elected for certain applications. For example, while someapplications may be secured for use on the mobile device 502, othersmight not be prepared or appropriate for deployment on the mobile device502 so the enterprise may elect to provide the mobile user access to theunprepared applications through virtualization techniques. As anotherexample, the enterprise may have large complex applications with largeand complex data sets (e.g., material resource planning applications)where it would be very difficult, or otherwise undesirable, to customizethe application for the mobile device 502 so the enterprise may elect toprovide access to the application through virtualization techniques. Asyet another example, the enterprise may have an application thatmaintains highly secured data (e.g., human resources data, customerdata, engineering data) that may be deemed by the enterprise as toosensitive for even the secured mobile environment so the enterprise mayelect to use virtualization techniques to permit mobile access to suchapplications and data. An enterprise may elect to provide both fullysecured and fully functional applications on the mobile device 502 aswell as a virtualization application 526 to allow access to applicationsthat are deemed more properly operated on the server side. In anembodiment, the virtualization application 526 may store some data,files, etc. on the mobile device 502 in one of the secure storagelocations. An enterprise, for example, may elect to allow certaininformation to be stored on the mobile device 502 while not permittingother information.

In connection with the virtualization application 526, as describedherein, the mobile device 502 may have a virtualization application 526that is designed to present GUIs and then record user interactions withthe GUI. The virtualization application 526 may communicate the userinteractions to the server side to be used by the server sideapplication as user interactions with the application. In response, theapplication on the server side may transmit back to the mobile device502 a new GUI. For example, the new GUI may be a static page, a dynamicpage, an animation, or the like, thereby providing access to remotelylocated resources.

The secure applications 514 may access data stored in a secure datacontainer 528 in the managed partition 510 of the mobile device 502. Thedata secured in the secure data container may be accessed by the securenative applications 514, secure remote applications 522 executed by asecure application launcher 518, virtualization applications 526executed by a secure application launcher 518, and the like. The datastored in the secure data container 528 may include files, databases,and the like. The data stored in the secure data container 528 mayinclude data restricted to a specific secure application 530, sharedamong secure applications 532, and the like. Data restricted to a secureapplication may include secure general data 534 and highly secure data538. Secure general data may use a strong form of encryption such asAdvanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit encryption or the like, whilehighly secure data 538 may use a very strong form of encryption such asAES 256-bit encryption. Data stored in the secure data container 528 maybe deleted from the mobile device 502 upon receipt of a command from thedevice manager 524. The secure applications (e.g., 514, 522, and 526)may have a dual-mode option 540. The dual mode option 540 may presentthe user with an option to operate the secured application in anunsecured or unmanaged mode. In an unsecured or unmanaged mode, thesecure applications may access data stored in an unsecured datacontainer 542 on the unmanaged partition 512 of the mobile device 502.The data stored in an unsecured data container may be personal data 544.The data stored in an unsecured data container 542 may also be accessedby unsecured applications 546 that are running on the unmanagedpartition 512 of the mobile device 502. The data stored in an unsecureddata container 542 may remain on the mobile device 502 when the datastored in the secure data container 528 is deleted from the mobiledevice 502. An enterprise may want to delete from the mobile device 502selected or all data, files, and/or applications owned, licensed orcontrolled by the enterprise (enterprise data) while leaving orotherwise preserving personal data, files, and/or applications owned,licensed or controlled by the user (personal data). This operation maybe referred to as a selective wipe. With the enterprise and personaldata arranged in accordance to the aspects described herein, anenterprise may perform a selective wipe.

The mobile device 502 may connect to enterprise resources 504 andenterprise services 508 at an enterprise, to the public Internet 548,and the like. The mobile device 502 may connect to enterprise resources504 and enterprise services 508 through virtual private networkconnections. The virtual private network connections, also referred toas microVPN or application-specific VPN, may be specific to particularapplications (as illustrated by microVPNs 550, particular devices,particular secured areas on the mobile device (as illustrated by O/S VPN552), and the like. For example, each of the wrapped applications in thesecured area of the mobile device 502 may access enterprise resourcesthrough an application specific VPN such that access to the VPN would begranted based on attributes associated with the application, possibly inconjunction with user or device attribute information. The virtualprivate network connections may carry Microsoft Exchange traffic,Microsoft Active Directory traffic, HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)traffic, HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) traffic, applicationmanagement traffic, and the like. The virtual private networkconnections may support and enable single-sign-on authenticationprocesses 554. The single-sign-on processes may allow a user to providea single set of authentication credentials, which are then verified byan authentication service 558. The authentication service 558 may thengrant to the user access to multiple enterprise resources 504, withoutrequiring the user to provide authentication credentials to eachindividual enterprise resource 504.

The virtual private network connections may be established and managedby an access gateway 560. The access gateway 560 may include performanceenhancement features that manage, accelerate, and improve the deliveryof enterprise resources 504 to the mobile device 502. The access gateway560 may also re-route traffic from the mobile device 502 to the publicInternet 548, enabling the mobile device 502 to access publiclyavailable and unsecured applications that run on the public Internet548. The mobile device 502 may connect to the access gateway via atransport network 562. The transport network 562 may use one or moretransport protocols and may be a wired network, wireless network, cloudnetwork, local area network, metropolitan area network, wide areanetwork, public network, private network, and the like.

The enterprise resources 504 may include email servers, file sharingservers, SaaS applications, Web application servers, Windows applicationservers, and the like. Email servers may include Exchange servers, LotusNotes servers, and the like. File sharing servers may include ShareFileservers, and the like. SaaS applications may include Salesforce, and thelike. Windows application servers may include any application serverthat is built to provide applications that are intended to run on alocal Windows operating system, and the like. The enterprise resources504 may be premise-based resources, cloud-based resources, and the like.The enterprise resources 504 may be accessed by the mobile device 502directly or through the access gateway 560. The enterprise resources 504may be accessed by the mobile device 502 via the transport network 562.

The enterprise services 508 may include authentication services 558,threat detection services 564, device manager services 524, file sharingservices 568, policy manager services 570, social integration services572, application controller services 574, and the like. Authenticationservices 558 may include user authentication services, deviceauthentication services, application authentication services, dataauthentication services, and the like. Authentication services 558 mayuse certificates. The certificates may be stored on the mobile device502, by the enterprise resources 504, and the like. The certificatesstored on the mobile device 502 may be stored in an encrypted locationon the mobile device 502, the certificate may be temporarily stored onthe mobile device 502 for use at the time of authentication, and thelike. Threat detection services 564 may include intrusion detectionservices, unauthorized access attempt detection services, and the like.Unauthorized access attempt detection services may include unauthorizedattempts to access devices, applications, data, and the like. Devicemanagement services 524 may include configuration, provisioning,security, support, monitoring, reporting, and decommissioning services.File sharing services 568 may include file management services, filestorage services, file collaboration services, and the like. Policymanager services 570 may include device policy manager services,application policy manager services, data policy manager services, andthe like. Social integration services 572 may include contactintegration services, collaboration services, integration with socialnetworks such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and the like.Application controller services 574 may include management services,provisioning services, deployment services, assignment services,revocation services, wrapping services, and the like.

The enterprise mobility technical architecture 500 may include anapplication store 578. The application store 578 may include unwrappedapplications 580, pre-wrapped applications 582, and the like.Applications may be populated in the application store 578 from theapplication controller 574. The application store 578 may be accessed bythe mobile device 502 through the access gateway 560, through the publicInternet 548, or the like. The application store 578 may be providedwith an intuitive and easy to use user interface.

A software development kit 584 may provide a user the capability tosecure applications selected by the user by wrapping the application asdescribed previously in this description. An application that has beenwrapped using the software development kit 584 may then be madeavailable to the mobile device 502 by populating it in the applicationstore 578 using the application controller 574.

The enterprise mobility technical architecture 500 may include amanagement and analytics capability 588. The management and analyticscapability 588 may provide information related to how resources areused, how often resources are used, and the like. Resources may includedevices, applications, data, and the like. How resources are used mayinclude which devices download which applications, which applicationsaccess which data, and the like. How often resources are used mayinclude how often an application has been downloaded, how many times aspecific set of data has been accessed by an application, and the like.

FIG. 6 is another illustrative enterprise mobility management system600. Some of the components of the mobility management system 500described above with reference to FIG. 5 have been omitted for the sakeof simplicity. The architecture of the system 600 depicted in FIG. 6 issimilar in many respects to the architecture of the system 500 describedabove with reference to FIG. 5 and may include additional features notmentioned above.

In this case, the left hand side represents an enrolled mobile device602 with a client agent 604, which interacts with gateway server 606(which includes Access Gateway and application controller functionality)to access various enterprise resources 608 and services 609 such asExchange, Sharepoint, public-key infrastructure (PKI) Resources,Kerberos Resources, Certificate Issuance service, as shown on the righthand side above. Although not specifically shown, the mobile device 602may also interact with an enterprise application store (StoreFront) forthe selection and downloading of applications.

The client agent 604 acts as the UI (user interface) intermediary forWindows apps/desktops hosted in an Enterprise data center, which areaccessed using the High-Definition User Experience (HDX)/ICA displayremoting protocol. The client agent 604 also supports the installationand management of native applications on the mobile device 602, such asnative iOS or Android applications. For example, the managedapplications 610 (mail, browser, wrapped application) shown in thefigure above are all native applications that execute locally on themobile device 602. Client agent 604 and application management frameworkof this architecture act to provide policy driven managementcapabilities and features such as connectivity and SSO (single sign on)to enterprise resources/services 608. The client agent 604 handlesprimary user authentication to the enterprise, normally to AccessGateway (AG) 606 with SSO to other gateway server components. The clientagent 604 obtains policies from gateway server 606 to control thebehavior of the managed applications 610 on the mobile device 602.

The Secure InterProcess Communication (IPC) links 612 between the nativeapplications 610 and client agent 604 represent a management channel,which may allow a client agent to supply policies to be enforced by theapplication management framework 614 “wrapping” each application. TheIPC channel 612 may also allow client agent 604 to supply credential andauthentication information that enables connectivity and SSO toenterprise resources 608. Finally, the IPC channel 612 may allow theapplication management framework 614 to invoke user interface functionsimplemented by client agent 604, such as online and offlineauthentication.

Communications between the client agent 604 and gateway server 606 areessentially an extension of the management channel from the applicationmanagement framework 614 wrapping each native managed application 610.The application management framework 614 may request policy informationfrom client agent 604, which in turn may request it from gateway server606. The application management framework 614 may requestauthentication, and client agent 604 may log into the gateway servicespart of gateway server 606 (for example, Citrix Gateway). Client agent604 may also call supporting services on gateway server 606, which mayproduce input material to derive encryption keys for the local datavaults 616, or may provide client certificates which may enable directauthentication to PKI protected resources, as more fully explainedbelow.

In more detail, the application management framework 614 “wraps” eachmanaged application 610. This may be incorporated via an explicit buildstep, or via a post-build processing step. The application managementframework 614 may “pair” with client agent 604 on first launch of anapplication 610 to initialize the Secure IPC channel 612 and obtain thepolicy for that application. The application management framework 614may enforce relevant portions of the policy that apply locally, such asthe client agent login dependencies and some of the containment policiesthat restrict how local OS services may be used, or how they mayinteract with the managed application 610.

The application management framework 614 may use services provided byclient agent 604 over the Secure IPC channel 612 to facilitateauthentication and internal network access. Key management for theprivate and shared data vaults 616 (containers) may be also managed byappropriate interactions between the managed applications 610 and clientagent 604. Vaults 616 may be available only after online authentication,or may be made available after offline authentication if allowed bypolicy. First use of vaults 616 may require online authentication, andoffline access may be limited to at most the policy refresh periodbefore online authentication is again required.

Network access to internal resources may occur directly from individualmanaged applications 610 through Access Gateway 606. The applicationmanagement framework 614 may be responsible for orchestrating thenetwork access on behalf of each managed application 610. Client agent604 may facilitate these network connections by providing suitable timelimited secondary credentials obtained following online authentication.Multiple modes of network connection may be used, such as reverse webproxy connections and end-to-end VPN-style tunnels 618.

The Mail and Browser managed applications 610 have special status andmay make use of facilities that might not be generally available toarbitrary wrapped applications. For example, the Mail application 610may use a special background network access mechanism that allows it toaccess an Exchange server 608 over an extended period of time withoutrequiring a full AG logon. The Browser application 610 may use multipleprivate data vaults 616 to segregate different kinds of data.

This architecture may support the incorporation of various othersecurity features. For example, gateway server 606 (including itsgateway services) in some cases may not need to validate activedirectory (AD) passwords. It can be left to the discretion of anenterprise whether an AD password may be used as an authenticationfactor for some users in some situations. Different authenticationmethods may be used if a user is online or offline (i.e., connected ornot connected to a network).

Step up authentication is a feature wherein gateway server 606 mayidentify managed native applications 610 that are allowed to have accessto highly classified data requiring strong authentication, and ensurethat access to these applications is only permitted after performingappropriate authentication, even if this means a re-authentication isrequired by the user after a prior weaker level of login.

Another security feature of this solution is the encryption of the datavaults 616 (containers) on the mobile device 602. The vaults 616 may beencrypted so that all on-device data including files, databases, andconfigurations are protected. For on-line vaults, the keys may be storedon the server (gateway server 606), and for off-line vaults, a localcopy of the keys may be protected by a user password or biometricvalidation. If or when data is stored locally on the mobile device 602in the secure container 616, it may be preferred that a minimum of AES256 encryption algorithm be utilized.

Other secure container features may also be implemented. For example, alogging feature may be included, wherein security events happeninginside a managed application 610 may be logged and reported to thebackend. Data wiping may be supported, such as if or when the managedapplication 610 detects tampering, associated encryption keys may bewritten over with random data, leaving no hint on the file system thatuser data was destroyed. Screenshot protection may be another feature,where an application may prevent any data from being stored inscreenshots. For example, the key window's hidden property may be set toYES. This may cause whatever content is currently displayed on thescreen to be hidden, resulting in a blank screenshot where any contentwould normally reside.

Local data transfer may be prevented, such as by preventing any datafrom being locally transferred outside the application container, e.g.,by copying it or sending it to an external application. A keyboard cachefeature may operate to disable the autocorrect functionality forsensitive text fields. SSL certificate validation may be operable so theapplication specifically validates the server SSL certificate instead ofit being stored in the keychain. An encryption key generation featuremay be used such that the key used to encrypt data on the mobile device602 is generated using a passphrase or biometric data supplied by theuser (if offline access is required). It may be XORed with another keyrandomly generated and stored on the server side if offline access isnot required. Key Derivation functions may operate such that keysgenerated from the user password use KDFs (key derivation functions,notably Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2 (PBKDF2)) rather thancreating a cryptographic hash of it. The latter makes a key susceptibleto brute force or dictionary attacks.

Further, one or more initialization vectors may be used in encryptionmethods. An initialization vector will cause multiple copies of the sameencrypted data to yield different cipher text output, preventing bothreplay and cryptanalytic attacks. This will also prevent an attackerfrom decrypting any data even with a stolen encryption key. Further,authentication then decryption may be used, wherein application data isdecrypted only after the user has authenticated within the application.Another feature may relate to sensitive data in memory, which may bekept in memory (and not in disk) only when it's needed. For example,login credentials may be wiped from memory after login, and encryptionkeys and other data inside objective-C instance variables are notstored, as they may be easily referenced. Instead, memory may bemanually allocated for these.

An inactivity timeout may be implemented, wherein after a policy-definedperiod of inactivity, a user session is terminated.

Data leakage from the application management framework 614 may beprevented in other ways. For example, if or when a managed application610 is put in the background, the memory may be cleared after apredetermined (configurable) time period. When backgrounded, a snapshotmay be taken of the last displayed screen of the application to fastenthe foregrounding process. The screenshot may contain confidential dataand hence should be cleared.

Another security feature may relate to the use of an OTP (one timepassword) 620 without the use of an AD (active directory) 622 passwordfor access to one or more applications. In some cases, some users do notknow (or are not permitted to know) their AD password, so these usersmay authenticate using an OTP 620 such as by using a hardware OTP systemlike SecurID (OTPs may be provided by different vendors also, such asEntrust or Gemalto). In some cases, after a user authenticates with auser ID, a text may be sent to the user with an OTP 620. In some cases,this may be implemented only for online use, with a prompt being asingle field.

An offline password may be implemented for offline authentication forthose managed applications 610 for which offline use is permitted viaenterprise policy. For example, an enterprise may want StoreFront to beaccessed in this manner In this case, the client agent 604 may requirethe user to set a custom offline password and the AD password is notused. Gateway server 606 may provide policies to control and enforcepassword standards with respect to the minimum length, character classcomposition, and age of passwords, such as described by the standardWindows Server password complexity requirements, although theserequirements may be modified.

Another feature may relate to the enablement of a client sidecertificate for certain applications 610 as secondary credentials (forthe purpose of accessing PKI protected web resources via the applicationmanagement framework micro VPN feature). For example, a managedapplication 610 may utilize such a certificate. In this case,certificate-based authentication using ActiveSync protocol may besupported, wherein a certificate from the client agent 604 may beretrieved by gateway server 606 and used in a keychain. Each managedapplication 610 may have one associated client certificate, identifiedby a label that is defined in gateway server 606.

Gateway server 606 may interact with an enterprise special purpose webservice to support the issuance of client certificates to allow relevantmanaged applications to authenticate to internal PKI protectedresources.

The client agent 604 and the application management framework 614 may beenhanced to support obtaining and using client certificates forauthentication to internal PM protected network resources. More than onecertificate may be supported, such as to match various levels ofsecurity and/or separation requirements. The certificates may be used bythe Mail and Browser managed applications 610, and ultimately byarbitrary wrapped applications 610 (provided those applications use webservice style communication patterns where it is reasonable for theapplication management framework to mediate HTTPS requests).

Application management client certificate support on iOS may rely onimporting a public-key cryptography standards (PKCS) 12 BLOB (BinaryLarge Object) into the iOS keychain in each managed application 610 foreach period of use. Application management framework client certificatesupport may use a HTTPS implementation with private in-memory keystorage. The client certificate may not be present in the iOS keychainand may not be persisted except potentially in “online-only” data valuethat is strongly protected.

Mutual SSL or TLS may also be implemented to provide additional securityby requiring that a mobile device 602 is authenticated to theenterprise, and vice versa. Virtual smart cards for authentication togateway server 606 may also be implemented.

Another feature may relate to application container locking and wiping,which may automatically occur upon jail-break or rooting detections, andoccur as a pushed command from administration console, and may include aremote wipe functionality even when a managed application 610 is notrunning.

A multi-site architecture or configuration of enterprise applicationstore and an application controller may be supported that allows usersto be serviced from one of several different locations in case offailure.

In some cases, managed applications 610 may be allowed to access acertificate and private key via an API (for example, OpenSSL). Trustedmanaged applications 610 of an enterprise may be allowed to performspecific Public Key operations with an application's client certificateand private key. Various use cases may be identified and treatedaccordingly, such as if or when an application behaves like a browserand no certificate access is required, if or when an application reads acertificate for “who am I,” if or when an application uses thecertificate to build a secure session token, and if or when anapplication uses private keys for digital signing of important data(e.g. transaction log) or for temporary data encryption.

Systems and Methods for Expedited Access to Applications

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example system providingexpedited access to applications. The system may comprise one or moreuser or client devices (e.g., user devices 701A-701C), one or morenetworks (e.g., network 703), one or more application informationdevices (e.g., application information device 705), one or more portaldevices (e.g., portal device 707), one or more directory devices (e.g.,directory device 709), one or more delivery controllers (e.g., deliverycontroller 711), and one or more host devices (e.g., host device 713).In some examples, one or more of the devices in the system (and/or thefunctionalities thereof) may be implemented in a single computingdevice, as desired by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

A user device of the user devices 701A-701C may comprise, for example, asmartphone, a personal computer, a tablet, a desktop computer, a laptopcomputer, a gaming device, a virtual reality headset, or any othercomputing device. Additionally or alternatively, a user device of theuser devices 701A-701C may comprise, for example, the computers 107,109, the terminals 240, the client computers 411-414, the mobile device502, or the mobile device 602 as discussed above in connection withFIGS. 1-2 and 4-6.

The network 703 may comprise one or more of any of various types ofinformation distribution networks, such as, without limitation, asatellite network, a telephone network, a cellular network, a Wi-Finetwork, an Ethernet network, an optical fiber network, a coaxial cablenetwork, a hybrid fiber coax network, and/or the like. The network 703may comprise an Internet Protocol (IP) based network (e.g., theInternet) or other types of networks. The network 703 may comprise, forexample, the wide area network 101, the local area network 133, or thecomputer network 230. The network 703 may comprise one or morecommunication links configured to connect one or more computing devices,such as the user devices 701A-701C, the application information device705, the portal device 707, and/or the host device 713.

The portal device 707, the directory device 709, the delivery controller711, and/or the host device 713 may be configured to provide, to theuser devices 701A-701C, various types of services, such as virtualdesktops, virtual applications, web applications, and/or the like. Forexample, the devices 707, 709, 711, and/or 713 together may implement anapplication virtualization platform, providing virtual applications tothe user devices 701A-701C for instant access by various users. The userdevices 701A-701C may be used by users to access the provided virtualapplications. In some examples, the devices 707, 709, 711, and/or 713may provide the services to an enterprise organization comprising anumber of users, such as a company, a school, an agency, and/or thelike.

The portal device 707 may comprise, for example, a computing deviceconfigured to present, to the user devices 701A-701C, the front end ofthe application virtualization platform. For example, the portal device707 may present, to the user device 701A, a login interface of theapplication virtualization platform. A user may input, to the portaldevice 707 and via the login interface displayed by the user device701A, the user's authentication credentials (such as usernames,passwords, and/or the like). In some examples, the portal device 707 maypresent, to the user device 701A, a plurality of applications for theuser's selection via a user interface. The user may indicate, to theportal device 707 and via the user device 701A, an application asselected by the user for access. The portal device 707 may connect tothe directory device 709 and/or the delivery controller 711 to performvarious functions, such as authenticating the user, obtainingapplication information indicating a plurality of applications for auser's selection, and/or implementing the selected application.

The directory device 709 may comprise, for example, a computing deviceconfigured to implement a directory service (e.g., Active Directoryservices). The directory device 709 may, for example, store one or moreuser hierarchies associated with an enterprise organization. The userhierarchies may be organized in a tree structure, a forest structure,and/or the like, and may resemble the enterprise organization'sstructure (e.g., managerial structure, geographical structure, etc.).The directory device 709 may additionally or alternatively storeinformation for authenticating the users in the user hierarchies (e.g.,usernames and/or passwords). The portal device 707 may, in connectionwith the directory device 709, authenticate a user based on his or herinput authentication credentials.

The delivery controller 711 may comprise, for example, a computingdevice configured to manage access to virtual applications of theapplication virtualization platform or web applications (e.g., SoftwareAs A Service (SAAS) applications) or other hosted applications. Thedelivery controller 711 may store data indicating a plurality ofapplications accessible by a user of the application virtualizationplatform, and may distribute a user request to access an application tohost devices (e.g., the host device 713) for implementing and/or hostingthe application. For example, after the portal device 707 authenticatesa user, the portal device 707 may request, from the delivery controller711, a plurality of applications (e.g., application list(s)) that theuser is allowed to access, for presenting to the user device of theuser. In some examples, after the portal device 707 receives a requestto access an application selected by the user, the portal device 707 maysend the request to the delivery controller 711. The delivery controller711 may distribute the request to a host device (e.g., the host device713) for hosting the requested application.

The host device 713 may be configured to host various services and/or todeliver the services to user devices. The host device 713 may comprise,for example, a physical computing device (e.g., the data server 103, theweb server 105, the server 206, etc.). Additionally or alternatively,the host device 713 may comprise a virtual machine. For example, thehost device 713 may comprise one of the virtual machines 332A-332Cimplemented on the virtualization server 301. The host device 713 may beconfigured to host various services, such as virtual desktops, virtualapplications, web applications, and/or the like, and to deliver theservices to the user devices 701A-701C. For example, with applicationvirtualization, execution and/or processing of the virtual applicationsmay take place on the host device 713, and the display of the virtualapplications may be delivered to the user devices 701A-701C. Forexample, after the host device 713 receives, from the deliverycontroller 711, the request to access an application, the host device713 may implement the application, and may deliver the display of theapplication to a corresponding user device (e.g., via the deliverycontroller 711 and/or the portal device 707, or directly via the network703 and bypassing the delivery controller 711 and/or the portal device707).

The application information device 705 may comprise, for example, acomputing device configured to determine application information forusers (e.g., customized application information). As described ingreater detail below, the application information device 705 mayreceive, from the user device 701A-701C, data indicating the applicationusage behavior of the users associated with the user devices 701A-701C,and/or may receive, from the directory device 709, data indicating userhierarchies of the users. The application information device 705 maydetermine, based on the received data, the customized applicationinformation for the users. The application information device 705 maysend, to the delivery controller 711 and/or other computing devices, thecustomized application information for generating user interfaces forpresenting to the users and thereby expediting access to applications.For example, application information for (e.g., customized to) a targetuser may be delivered to a user device associated with the target user,and may be used to generate a user interface on the user device showingidentifiers of applications indicated in the application information forthe target user's selection, so that the target user may have expeditedaccess to interested applications. In some examples, the target user mayselect, via an input device and from the user interface presented to himor her, an interested application. The selection of the application maycause the user device and/or associated computing device(s) to launchthe selected application.

Application information (e.g., listings of applications, sets ofapplications, etc., customized to a particular user) may be determined,for example, based on the user's application usage behavior and/or otherusers' application usage behavior. The application information mayindicate, for example, first applications that are regularly used by theuser and/or second applications that are rarely used by the user but areregularly used by users having similar application usage patterns as theuser. Including the first applications in the customized applicationinformation may facilitate the user's identification and/or activationof an application that the user intends to access. Including the secondapplications in the application information may help introduce newapplications of potential interest to the user, as these applicationsare regularly used by other similar users. Determining applicationinformation may help increase user convenience in accessing applications(e.g., reduce the time in which to launch recommended applications). Theapplication information may be determined and/or updated dynamically(e.g., periodically) to adapt to changing user behavior. The applicationinformation may be delivered to a user device associated with the targetuser, and may be used to generate a user interface on the user device(e.g., showing listings of interested applications), so that the usermay have expedited access to interested applications in a timelyfashion.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example system for determininginformation of applications for generating user interfaces for expeditedaccess. The system may comprise, for example, a network 801, theapplication information device 705, the user devices 701A-701C, thedirectory device 709, and/or the delivery controller 711. Theapplication information device 705, the user devices 701A-701C, thedirectory device 709, and/or the delivery controller 711 may compriseone or more physical components, such as one or more processors, memory,one or more communication interfaces, and/or the like. The memory maystore instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors,cause performance of the functions described herein.

In some examples, a user device of the user devices 701A-701C mayinclude, incorporate, and/or implement one or more aspects of the clientdevices, mobile devices, and/or user devices discussed above. In someexamples, the directory device 709 and/or the delivery controller 711may include, incorporate, and/or implement one or more aspects of theenterprise systems and/or management servers discussed above.Additionally or alternatively, the directory device 709 and/or thedelivery controller 711 may include, incorporate, and/or implement oneor more aspects of the virtualization servers and/or othervirtualization infrastructure discussed above and/or may communicatewith one or more enterprise systems that include, incorporate, and/orimplement one or more aspects of the virtualization servers and/or othervirtualization infrastructure discussed above. The directory device 709may comprise a computing device that provides one or more directoryservices (e.g., Active Directory services). The delivery controller 711may comprise a computing device that stores application information tobe presented to users (e.g., a general application list comprising allof the applications that a user is allowed to access, a customizedapplication list comprising applications regularly used by the userand/or by other similar user(s), etc.). The application informationdevice 705 may comprise a computing device that determines applicationinformation (e.g., lists) based on application usage data received fromthe user devices 701A-701C, the directory service data received from thedirectory device 709, and/or other types of data. The network 801 maycomprise one or more local area networks, wide area networks, publicnetworks, private networks, and/or sub-networks, and may interconnectthe application information device 705, the user devices 701A-701C, thedirectory device 709, and/or the delivery controller 711. In someexamples, one or more of the application information device 705, thedirectory device 709, and/or the delivery controller 711, orfunctionalities thereof, may be incorporated in a single computingdevice.

The application information device 705 may comprise at least oneprocessor 851, memory 853, and at least one communication interface 857.The processor 851 may execute instructions stored in the memory 853 thatcause the application information device 705 to perform one or morefunctions, such as determining customized application information (e.g.,lists) and/or performing other functions, as described in greater detailbelow in connection with the algorithm(s) of FIGS. 9-13. The memory 853may store an application information service 855, which may compriseinstructions that enable the application information device 705 toprovide one or more of these functions and/or other functions describedbelow. The communication interface 857 may comprise one or more networkinterfaces via which the application information device 705 maycommunicate with one or more other systems and/or devices, such as theuser devices 701A-701C, the directory device 709, and/or the deliverycontroller 711.

FIG. 9 is an event sequence showing an example method related toexpedited access to applications. While the steps of the event sequenceare described in a particular order, the order of the steps may bealtered without departing from the scope of the disclosure providedherein. Although the event sequence is described as being performed by aparticular arrangement of computing systems, devices, and/or networks(e.g., the user device 701A, the directory device 709, the deliverycontroller 711, and/or the application information device 705), theprocesses may be performed by a greater or smaller number of computingsystems, devices, and/or networks, and/or by any type of computingsystem, device, and/or network. In some examples, the directory device709, the delivery controller 711, and the application information device705 (and/or functionalities thereof) may be implemented on a singlecomputing device (e.g., a single server).

In step 901, the user device 701A may monitor application usageactivities associated with a user of the user device 701A. The userdevice 701A may output or display one or more applications to the user.The applications may be output, for example, via one or more windowsand/or other user interfaces displayed on the user device 701A. The userdevice 701A may monitor application usage events in which an applicationis output via an active window displayed on the user device 701A (e.g.,a window displayed at the top level of multiple overlapping windows, acurrently focused window in the current window manager, etc.). Forindividual application usage events, the user device 701A may determineand/or store an identifier of the application of the application usageevent, a time length of the application usage event, an identifier ofthe user using the application during the time length, and/or anidentifier of the user device 701A. Additionally or alternatively, forindividual application usage events, the user device 701A may determineand/or store an identifier of the enterprise organization in which theuser is a member, an identifier of a user group or organization unit,within the enterprise organization, in which the user is a member, anidentifier of an application store via which the application is output,an identifier of a server or host device via or on which the applicationis implemented (e.g., an IP address of the server or host device),and/or the like.

In some examples, the user device 701A may additionally or alternativelymonitor other application usage activities. For example, the user device701A may record an application usage event in which a cursor of the userdevice 701A hovers over an application output via a non-active windowand causes an scroll-up or scroll-down action on the application. Insome examples, the user device 701A may record an application usageevent in which an application is output via a non-active window thatoverlaps with the active window to an extent less than a threshold ordoes not overlap with the active window. The user device 701A maymonitor and/or record other types of application usage events. The userdevice 701A may assign, to the different types of application usageevents, various weights that reflect the users various levels of usagewith respect to the applications. And the assigned weights may be storedtogether with the recorded application usage events. The weights may beconsidered, for example, by the application information device 705 toaccount for different types of application usage, such as described ingreater detail below in connection with FIG. 11 (e.g., step 1111). Aweighted score corresponding to the time length of the application usageevent multiplied by the weight assigned to the application usage eventmay be used, for example, by the application information device 705 fordetermining the usage of the applications.

In step 903, the user device 701A may send, to the applicationinformation device 705, the application usage activities as monitored instep 901. For example, the user device 701A may send, to the applicationinformation device 705, one or more application usage events as recordedby the user device 701A. For example, the user device 701A may store therecorded application usage events in a local cache and/or other memoryof the user device 701A. The sending of the application usage events maybe conducted periodically (e.g., every 24 hours, every 48 hours, etc.).After the sending of the application usage events, the user device 701Amay, for example, delete the corresponding records in the local cache ormemory. Additionally or alternatively, the monitoring of the applicationusage activities as described in connection with step 901 and/or thesending of the application usage activities as described in connectionwith step 903 may be performed by additional or alternative userdevices, such as the user devices 701B-701C. The application informationdevice 705 may receive, from a plurality of user devices, data of theapplication usage activities of the user devices, and may use the datato determine customized application information (e.g., lists).

In step 905, the application information device 705 may send, to thedirectory device 709, a request for user hierarchies. The requested userhierarchies may, for example, comprise arrangements of users accordingto relative inclusiveness. For example, the requested user hierarchiesmay be associated with an enterprise organization, and may indicate oneor more user groups based on the enterprise organization's managerialstructure, geographical distribution, and/or the like. The directorydevice 709 may receive the request for the user hierarchies. In step907, the directory device 709 may send, to the application informationdevice 705, the requested user hierarchies. The application informationdevice 705 may receive the requested user hierarchies, and maydetermine, based on the user hierarchies, customized applicationinformation (e.g., customized application lists). In some examples,directory device 709 may send, to the application information device705, other types of information that the application information device705 may use to determine application information.

In step 909, the application information device 705 may determineapplication information (e.g., customized application lists). Theapplication information may be determined, for example, based onapplication usage activity data received from one or more user devices(e.g., the user device 701A) and/or based on user hierarchy datareceived from the directory device 709. More details regardingdetermining application information are described below in connectionwith FIGS. 10-13. In step 911, the application information device 705may send, to the delivery controller 711, the customized applicationinformation as determined in step 909. The delivery controller 711 mayreceive the application information, and may store the applicationinformation for retrieval by or presenting to user devices (e.g., theuser device 701A). In some examples, steps 903, 909, 911 may beperformed periodically (e.g., every 24 hours, every 48 hours, etc.) sothat the application information may be periodically updated based onusers' recent application usage patterns.

In step 913, the user device 701A may send, to the delivery controller711, a request for application information (e.g., application lists).For example, such a request may be sent after a user logs into anassociated application virtualization platform via the user device 701A.The user device 701A may, for example, request for a general applicationlist comprising all of the applications that the user is allowed toaccess (e.g., all of the applications that the enterprise organizationof which the user is a member subscribes to), application list(s)customized to the user (e.g., as determined by the applicationinformation device 705 in step 909), and/or other types of applicationinformation. In step 915, the delivery controller 711 may send, to theuser device 701A, the requested application information. The user device701A may receive the application information, and may display theapplication information to the user (e.g., by displaying theapplications indicated in the application information as icons for theuser's selection and access) and thereby enable expedited access to theapplications (e.g., reduce the time to launch the applications). In someexamples, if the user device 701A receives multiple application lists(e.g., a general application list and a customized application list),the user device 701A may separately present the multiple applicationlists (e.g., using multiple tabbed interfaces within a window). Forexample, the user device 701A may display, on a user interface of theuser device 701A, the application information for (e.g., customized to)the user associated with the user device 701A as determined by theapplication information device 705. The user device 701A may display theapplication information in various manners. For example, applicationsindicated in the application information may be presented as icons,textual identifiers, buttons, toggles, etc., the selection of which(e.g., by the user via an input device) may cause the user device 701Aand/or associated computing device(s) (e.g., an applicationvirtualization platform) to implement the selected application and topresent the implemented application to the user.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example method for determiningapplication information for generating user interfaces for expeditedaccess. The method may be performed, for example, by the system asdescribed in connection with FIGS. 7-8. The steps of the method aredescribed as being performed by particular component(s) and/or computingdevice(s) for the sake of simplicity, but the steps of the method may beperformed by any other component(s) and/or computing device(s). Thesteps of the method may be performed by a single computing device or bymultiple computing devices. One or more steps of the method may beomitted, added, and/or rearranged as desired by a person of ordinaryskill in the art.

In step 1001, a computing device (e.g., the application informationdevice 705) may determine whether the computing device receives dataindicating application usage events (e.g., as described in connectionwith steps 901, 903). Data indicating application usage events may bereceived, for example, from one or more user devices (e.g., the userdevices 701A-701C). For example, the user device 701A may continuouslymonitor application usage events that occur on the user device 701A, andmay send the monitored application usage events to the computing device.If the computing device receives data indicating application usageevents (step 1001: Y), the method may proceed to step 1003. If thecomputing device does not receive data indicating application usageevents (step 1001: N), the method may proceed to step 1005.

In step 1003, the computing device may store the data indicatingapplication usage events as received in step 1001. For example, the datamay be stored in a database or memory of the computing device.Individual application usage events may indicate, for example, anidentifier of the application of the application usage event, a timelength of the application usage event, an identifier of the user usingthe application during the time length, an identifier of the user devicethat recorded the application usage event, an application usage type(e.g., application usage via an active window, application usage via anon-active but fully or partially displaying window, etc.), and/or othertypes of information. In some examples, the computing device may excludecertain types of received data (e.g., noisy data). For example, thecomputing device might not store received data that indicate anapplication usage event with a time length less than the threshold timelength (e.g., 0.5 seconds). In some examples, the computing device mightnot store data that indicate an application usage event occurred duringweekends, holidays, or personal vacations.

In step 1005, the computing device may determine whether an applicationinformation update is triggered. The application information update maybe triggered periodically (e.g., every 24 hours, every 48 hours, everyday during working days, etc.). For example, an enterprise organizationmay set a frequency for updating application information for its memberusers to every 24 hours. In some examples, different frequencies may beused for updating application information for different user groupswithin the enterprise organization. The different frequencies may be setbased on preferences of the user groups and/or the user groups'tendencies to change application usage patterns. The applicationinformation update is triggered, for example, when a period (e.g., 24hours, 48 hours, etc.) corresponding to the updating frequency isreached. As described in greater detail below, application informationand underlying parameters used in the determination of the applicationinformation may be updated, for example, based on application usageevent data received during the last calculation period (e.g., the periodleading to the customized application information update). In someexamples, the computing device might not trigger the applicationinformation update during weekends, holidays, non-working days, etc., inorder to mitigate the system bias variance. The dynamic (e.g., periodic)updating of application information may allow the computing device totake into consideration changing user behaviors and/or user applicationusage patterns. If an application information update is triggered (step1005: Y), the method may proceed to step 1007. If an applicationinformation update is not triggered (step 1005: N), the method mayrepeat step 1001.

In step 1007, the computing device may determine a plurality of userswhose application information is to be updated. The plurality of usersmay comprise, for example, some or all of the member users of anenterprise organization. In some examples, the plurality of users maycomprise, for example, member users of a particular user group withinthe enterprise organization (e.g., if different frequencies are set fordifferent user groups within the enterprise organization and the periodcorresponding to the updating frequency for the particular user group isreached). In some examples, the plurality of users may compriseadditional or alternative users (e.g., users inside or outside theenterprise organization).

In step 1009, the computing device may determine a target user from theplurality of users as determined in step 1007. For example, thecomputing device may sequentially select, from the plurality of users, auser as the target user. As described below in connection with steps1011, 1013, 1015, 1017, 1019, 1021, the computing device may then updatethe application information (e.g., customized application list) for thetarget user, based on application usage event data as received in step1001 and/or user hierarchy data as described in connection with steps905, 907. In step 1023, the computing device may determine whetherapplication information has been updated for all of the plurality ofusers as determined in step 1007. If application information has beenupdated for all of the plurality of users (step 1023: Y), the method mayrepeat step 1001. If customized application information has not beenupdated for all of the plurality of users (step 1023: N), the method mayrepeat step 1009. For example, the computing device may select, from theplurality of users, a next user as the target user for processing.

In step 1011, the computing device may determine usage scores forapplications associated with the target user. For example, the computingdevice may determine a usage score for each of the applications that thetarget user is allowed to access. The usage scores may be determined,for example, based on application usage events associated with thetarget user (e.g., application usage events indicating that the targetuser used one or more applications during one or more time periods). Insome examples, the computing device may obtain application usage eventdata associated with the target user that were received during the lastcalculation period (e.g., the last 24 hours leading to the customizedapplication information update), and may determine updated usage scoresbased on the obtained application usage event data and the previouslydetermined usage scores. In some examples, the computing device maystore application usage event data associated with the target user thatwere received during a number of most recent calculation periods (e.g.,the last 20 24-hour periods), and may determine updated usage scoresbased on the stored application usage event data. As an example, a usagescore for an application of the target user may be calculated accordingto the following equation(s):

$\begin{matrix}{Y_{n} = {{\alpha Y_{n - 1}} + {\left( {1 - \alpha} \right)X_{n}}}} & (1) \\{\alpha = {\min\left\{ {q,\frac{1 + C}{\beta + C}} \right\}}} & (2) \\{\beta = {\frac{1 + T}{q} - T}} & (3)\end{matrix}$

In the equations (1), (2), and (3), n may represent the operation timeindex in sequence starting from 1 (e.g., the number of calculationperiods since the computing device started to perform the process forupdating application information), Y_(n) may represent the nth usagescore for a particular application (e.g., the current usage score),X_(n) may represent the nth usage rate for the application (e.g., theaccumulated usage time during the last calculation period), a mayrepresent a weight assigned to the previous usage score in calculatingthe current usage score, q may represent a degree of weighting decreaseafter the cold start phase, T may represent the length of the cold startphase, β may represent a regulation factor for weighting decay in thecold start phase, and C may represent the operation time count insequence starting from 1 (e.g., the number of calculation periods sincethe computing device started to perform the process for updatingcustomized application information). The weighting decay may indicatethe changing of the weights assigned to Y_(n-1) and X_(n) fordetermining Y_(n). For example, the weight assigned to X_(n) maydecrease during the cold start phase. In some examples, T may correspondto 20 days, and q may correspond to 0.95. According to the aboveequations, during the cold start phase, α may increase with the numberof calculation periods, and after the cold start phase, a may be set toa constant value q (e.g., 0.95).

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example method for determining usagescores for applications associated with a target user. In step 1101, thecomputing device may determine whether an operation time is within acold start phase. The operation time may correspond to a period of timesince the computing device started to perform the processes for updatingcustomized application information. The computing device may record theoperation time. In some examples, the operation time may be specific toa particular user. For example, the computing device may start toperform the processes for updating the application information for afirst user on Jan. 1, 2019, and may start to perform the processes forupdating the application information for a second user on Jan. 15, 2019.The computing device may record a separate operation time value forindividual users. The cold start phase may indicate a time period duringwhich the computing device may have an amount of data less than anoptimal amount of data for determining the customized applicationinformation. The cold start phase may, for example, be set by anadministrator to 20 days. If the operation time (e.g., for the targetuser) is within the cold start phase (step 1101: Y), the method mayproceed to step 1103. If the operation time (e.g., for the target user)is not within the cold start phase (step 1101: N), the method mayproceed to step 1105.

In step 1103, the computing device may determine hyper-parameters basedon the operation time. For example, the computing device may determinethe hyper-parameter α according to equations (2) and (3) based on thecurrent operation time count C. In step 1105, the computing device mayset hyper-parameters to values (e.g., constant values). For example,after the computing device has passed the cold start phase, thecomputing device may set the hyper-parameter α of equation (1) to aconstant value, such as 0.95. Using different processes to determine thehyper-parameters may help mitigate the bias variance associated with thecold start phase.

In step 1107, the computing device may determine a plurality ofapplications associated with the target user. In some examples, theplurality of applications associated with the target user may compriseall of the applications that the target user is allowed to access. Thecomputing device may make this determination, for example, based onobtaining such information from the delivery controller 711. In someexamples, the plurality of applications associated with the target usermay comprise some of the applications that the target user is allowed toaccess. In some examples, the plurality of applications associated withthe target user may comprise applications that the target user actuallyaccessed during the last calculation period (e.g., during the last 24hours).

In step 1109, the computing device may determine an application from theplurality of applications as determined in step 1107. For example, thecomputing device may sequentially determine (e.g., identify), from theplurality of applications, an application for processing. In step 1111,the computing device may determine a usage rate for the applicationdetermined in step 1109 during the last calculation period (e.g., duringthe last 24 hours). For example, the computing device may retrievestored application usage events that indicate the target user, indicatethe application as determined in step 1109, and indicating anapplication usage time length within the last calculation period. Thecomputing device may aggregate the application usage time lengths ofthese application usage events to reach the usage rate for theapplication (e.g., the usage rate indicating a total amount of time, ofthe last calculation period, during which the application was used). Insome examples, individual application usage events may additionallyindicate an application usage type (e.g., application usage via anactive window, application usage via a non-active but fully or partiallydisplaying window, etc.) and/or a weight corresponding to theapplication usage type. The computing device may determine the usagerate for the application based on the application usage type and/or theweight. For example, the usage rate may correspond to a sum of theapplication usage time lengths multiplied by the corresponding weights.In some examples, the determining of the usage rates of applications maybe offloaded to the user devices that monitor and/or generateapplication usage event records. For example, the user devices may send,to the computing device, the determined usage rates instead of dateindicating application usage events.

In step 1113, the computing device may determine a usage score for theapplication as determined in step 1109. For example, the computingdevice may determine the usage score based on the equation (1). Theusage score for the application may correspond to a weighted average(according to the hyper-parameter a) of the previous value of the usagescore and the usage rate, for the application during the lastcalculation period, as determined in step 1111.

In step 1115, the computing device may determine whether usage scoreshave been determined (e.g., based on application usage event data fromthe last calculation period) for all of the plurality of applications asdetermined in step 1107. If usage scores have been determined for all ofthe plurality of applications (step 1115: Y), the method may end. Ifusage scores have not been determined for all of the plurality ofapplications (step 1115: N), the method may repeat step 1109. Forexample, the computing device may determine, from the plurality ofapplication, a next application for processing.

Referring back to FIG. 10, in step 1013, the computing device may selecttop ranked application(s) based on the usage scores as determined instep 1011 (and/or step 1113). In some examples, the computing device mayselect a number (e.g., 5, 10, 15, etc.) of top ranked applications basedon the usage scores of the applications. In some examples, the computingdevice may select a number of top ranked applications based on a usagescore threshold that separates regularly used applications fromnon-regularly used applications. The computing device may select aparticular application if the usage score for the application is abovethe usage score threshold. The computing device might not select aparticular application if the usage score for the application is notabove the usage score threshold. With these processes, the computingdevice may determine applications that the target user regularly uses(e.g., for including in the customized application information for thetarget user). Additionally or alternatively, the computing device maydetermine applications that users similar to the target user use (e.g.,for recommending to the target user and/or for including in theapplication information for the target user), as described in greaterdetail below.

In step 1015, the computing device may determine user group(s) similarto the user group in which the target user is a member. Thedetermination may be based on, for example, the application usagepattern of each user group of the enterprise organization in which thetarget user is a member. The application usage pattern of a user groupmay be represented, for example, using a set of applications in whichindividual applications have a usage time, score, or rate per user ofthe user group higher than a threshold. In some examples, theapplication usage pattern of a user group may be represented using avector indicating the usage time, score, or rate per user for each ofthe applications that the user group is allowed to access. Theapplication usage pattern of a user group may be represented in variousother manners as desired by a person of ordinary skill in the art. Thecomputing device may determine that a particular user group is similarto the user group of the target user, for example, if the applicationusage pattern of the particular user group is similar to the applicationusage pattern of the user group of the target user to an extent above athreshold (e.g., if the distance between the sets or vectorsrepresenting the application usage patterns is less than a thresholddistance).

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example method for determining usergroup(s) similar to the user group in which the target user is a member.In step 1201, the computing device may obtain user hierarchy data and/orother types of data based on which user groups may be identified. Forexample, the computing device may receive, from the directory device709, user hierarchy data for an enterprise organization in which thetarget user is a member. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing anexample user hierarchy 1400. The user hierarchy 1400 may be associatedwith an enterprise organization. The user hierarchy 1400 may compriseone or more levels, such as one or more domains (e.g., domain 1401), oneor more branch offices (e.g., branch office 1403), one or moredepartments (e.g., department 1405), one or more teams (e.g., team1407), and/or one or more users (e.g., user 1409). The user hierarchy1400 may represent the enterprise organization's managerial structure,geographical structure, and/or other types of structures. Various usersmay be grouped in different user groups. For example, user 1 and user 2are within the user group team 1, and user 6 and user 7 are within theuser group team 7. In some examples, different user groups of anenterprise organization may have similar application usage patterns. Forexample, team 1 and team 7 may be both engineering groups, and may havesimilar application usage patterns, although they may be separate usergroups because of their different geographical locations.

Referring back to FIG. 12, in step 1203, the computing device mayidentify user groups and corresponding member users. For example, thecomputing device may traverse the user hierarchies obtained in step 1201to identify the user groups of the enterprise organization in which thetarget user is a member. The computing device may traverse all theorganizational unit paths in the user hierarchies until the leaf nodes.In some examples, individual organization unit paths may correspond toone different user group. The computing device may also determine whichusers are within individual identified user groups.

In step 1205, the computing device may determine application usagepatterns for the user groups identified in step 1203. In some examples,the application usage pattern of a user group may be represented using aset of applications in which individual applications have a usage time,score, or rate per user of the user group higher than a threshold. As anexample, to determine the application usage pattern for a user group,the computing device may determine the accumulated usage time forindividual applications that the user group is allowed to access duringa period of time (e.g., last 20 days). The accumulated usage time maycorrespond to a sum of the usage time of the corresponding applicationfrom individual users in the user group. The computing device maydetermine a usage time per user by dividing the accumulated usage timeby the quantity of users in the user group. The computing device mayinclude the application in the set of applications representing the usergroup's application usage pattern if the determined usage time per useris higher than a threshold. The computing device might not include theapplication in the set of applications if the determined usage time peruser is not higher than the threshold. The following shows an exampletable of determined application usage patterns for the user groups.

TABLE 1 User group Application usage pattern Team 1 {App A, App B, AppC, App D, App E, App F} Team 3 {App A, App B, App C, App D, App Y} Team4 {App A, App B, App H, App I, App G} Team 7 {App A, App B, App C, AppE, App F, App O}

In step 1207, the computing device may determine degrees of differenceor similarity (e.g., distances) between the application usage patternsas determined in step 1205. The distances between the application usagepatterns may comprise, for example, distances between vectorsrepresenting the application usage patterns. For example, the Jaccardindex may be used to measure the distances between the application usagepatterns. As an example, the distances between the application usagepatterns may be determined according to the following equation(s):

$\begin{matrix}{{IoU}_{ij} = \frac{\left( {G_{i} - {\bigcap_{k = 1}^{N}G_{k}}} \right)\bigcap\left( {G_{j} - {\bigcap_{k = 1}^{N}G_{k}}} \right)}{\left( {G_{i} - {\bigcap_{k = 1}^{N}G_{k}}} \right)\bigcup\left( {G_{j} - {\bigcap_{k = 1}^{N}G_{k}}} \right)}} & (4)\end{matrix}$

In the equation (4), G_(i) or G_(j) may represent the application usagepattern for a particular user group, such as the ith or jth user group,and IoU_(ij) may represent a degree of similarity (e.g., Intersectionover Union) between the ith user group and the jth user group. ∩_(k=1)^(N)G_(k) may represent the globally intersected elements among all ofthe user groups. For example, the global intersection of the applicationusage patterns for Team 1, Team 3, Team 4, and Team 7 according toTable-1 is {App A, App B}. G_(i)−∩_(k=1) ^(N)G_(k) may representexcluding the globally intersected elements from the application usagepattern for the ith user group. For example, the following shows anexample table of the application usage patterns for the user groups withthe globally intersected elements removed.

TABLE 2 Application usage pattern with globally User group intersectedelements removed Team 1 {App C, App D, App E, App F} Team 3 {App C, AppD, App Y} Team 4 {App H, App I, App G} Team 7 {App C, App E, App F, AppO}

The computing device may calculate the degrees of difference orsimilarity (e.g., distances) between the application usage patternsaccording to the equation (4). For example, IoU₁₃ is ⅖, IoU₁₇ is ⅗, andIoU₃₇ is ⅙. In some examples, the Jaccard distance measures how similartwo groups are in terms of their preferences on non-globally commonapplications. The non-globally common applications may comprise, forexample, applications that are common between the two groups, but arenot common among all user groups including the two user groups. Incalculating the distances among the user groups, the computing devicemay build, based on the application usage patterns with globallyintersected elements removed, a spare symmetric matrix. FIG. 15 shows anexample of a spare symmetric matrix 1500. The spare symmetric matrix1500 may be used to determine which combination of user groups should befurther processed. Numbers in the matrix 1500 indicate how manyapplications both user groups have in common. For example, user groupTeam 1 and user group Team 3 have 2 overlapping applications becausethere is a number 2 within the box under the column for Team 1 andwithin the row of Team 3. The computing device may continue to calculatethe distance (e.g., the IoU value) for a combination of two user groupif the two user groups have overlapping applications. The computingdevice might not calculate the distance (e.g., the IoU value) for thecombination of the two groups if the two user groups do not haveoverlapping applications. In this manner, less computation may berequired for determining the distances among the user groups.

In step 1209, the computing device may determine similar user groupsbased on the degrees of difference or similarity (e.g., distances) asdetermined in step 1207. The computing device may identify user groupshaving similar application usage patterns as the user group in which thetarget user is a member. The computing device may determine that aparticular user group is similar to the user group in which the targetuser is a member, for example, if the distance between the applicationusage patterns of the two user groups is lower than a threshold, and/orif the degree of similarity between the application usage patterns ofthe two user groups is higher than a threshold. For example, thecomputing device may determine that two user groups are similar if theIoU between the two user groups is higher than a threshold (e.g., 0.5).

In step 1211, the computing device may aggregate similar user groupsinto a set of users, based on which new applications may be determinedfor recommending to the target user. For example, the computing devicemay determine a set of users to include the users from the user group inwhich the target user is a member and the users from the user groupssimilar to the user group of the target user. As described in greaterdetail below, the computing device may use the determined set of usersfor determining new applications for recommending to the target user.

Referring back to FIG. 10, in step 1017, the computing device maydetermine similar users to the target user. The similar users to thetarget user may have similar application usage patterns as the targetuser. For example, the similar users may be selected from the set ofusers as determined in step 1211. In some examples, the similar usersmay be selected from all of the users in the enterprise organization inwhich the target user is also a member. The computing device may rankthe users based on their degrees of similarity with the target user interms of their application usage patterns. The computing device mayidentify a number of top ranked users as the similar users.

In step 1019, the computing device may determine recommendedapplications (e.g., for recommending to the target user) based on theapplication usage of the similar users as determined in step 1017. Therecommended applications may comprise applications that the target userrarely uses but the similar users regularly use. By recommending theseapplications to the target user, the target user may learn newapplications that his or her peers find helpful. More details regardingdetermining similar users to the target user (step 1017) and/ordetermining recommended applications (step 1019) are described below.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example method for determiningrecommended applications based on application usage of similar users tothe target user. In step 1301, the computing device may determine theapplication usage pattern of the target user. The application usagepattern of the target user may be represented using, for example, avector indicating the usage time, score, or rate by the target user forindividual applications (e.g., each of the applications) that the targetuser is allowed to access. For example, the following shows an exampletable of the application usage pattern of the target user.

TABLE 3 User App APP APP APP APP APP APP App group User A B C D E F G HTeam 1 User 1 (e.g., the 1650 1780 140 10 0 0 0 0 target user)

As shown in Table-3, the application usage pattern for user 1 maycomprise a vector (1650, 1780, 140, 10, 0, 0, 0, 0). Individual elements(e.g., each element) of the vector may indicate an accumulated amount oftime, of a past time period (e.g., the last 20 days), during which thetarget user used the corresponding application.

In step 1303, the computing device may determine a user from a set ofusers as determined in step 1211. In some examples, the computing devicemay determine a user from a larger set of users, such as from all of theusers of the enterprise organization in which the target user is amember. For example, the computing device may sequentially select, fromthe set of users, a user for processing (as described below inconnection with steps 1305, 1307). In step 1309, the computing devicemay determine whether all of the set of users have been processed (e.g.,according to steps 1305, 1307). If all of the set of users have beenprocessed (step 1309: Y), the method may proceed to step 1311. If notall of the set of users have been processed (step 1309: N), the methodmay repeat step 1303. For example, the computing device may select, fromthe set of users, a next user for processing.

In step 1305, the computing device may determine the application usagepattern for the user determined in step 1303. The application usagepattern for the user may be determined in a similar manner as theapplication usage pattern for the target user may be determined, asdescribed in connection with step 1301. For example, the following showsan example table of the application usage patterns of one or more usersof the set of users.

TABLE 4 User App APP APP APP APP APP APP App group User A B C D E F G HTeam 1 User 2 1500 1600 128 330 230 400 10 0 Team 7 User 6 800 1400 400130 300 0 120 0 Team 7 User 7 1000 1820 40 270 120 230 60 30

In step 1307, the computing device may determine a degree of differenceor similarity (e.g., distance) between the application usage patterns ofthe user (as determined in step 1303) and the target user. In someexamples, the computing device may determine a degree of similaritybetween the application usage patterns of the user (as determined instep 1303) and the target user. As an example, the degree of differenceor similarity (e.g., distance) may be determined according to thefollowing equation(s):

$\begin{matrix}{S_{uv} = \frac{\sum_{i \in I_{uv}}{\left( {r_{ui} - \overset{¯}{r_{u}}} \right)\left( {r_{vi} - \overset{¯}{r_{v}}} \right)}}{\sqrt{\sum_{i \in I_{uv}}\left( {r_{ui} - \overset{¯}{r_{u}}} \right)^{2}}\sqrt{\sum_{i \in I_{uv}}\left( {r_{vi} - \overset{¯}{r_{v}}} \right)^{2}}}} & (5) \\{I_{uv} = {{A_{u}\bigcap{A_{v}\mspace{14mu}{where}\mspace{14mu} A_{u}}} \neq {0{{A_{v} \neq 0}}}}} & (6)\end{matrix}$

In the equations (5) and (6), u may represent the target user, v mayrepresent a user from the set of users, S_(uv) may represent acorrelation between the target user and the user from the set of users,I_(uv) may represent common applications that both the target user andthe user from the set of users used (e.g., during the last 20 days), rmay represent the amount of time during which a particular user used aparticular application, r may represent the amount of time during whicha particular user used the common applications divided by the quantityof the common applications, and A_(u) may represent a set ofapplications that a particular user (e.g., the user u) used (e.g.,during the last 20 days).

In step 1311, the computing determine, from the set of users (e.g., asprocessed in steps 1305, 1307), a collection of users that are mostsimilar to the target user. The computing device may rank the set ofusers based on their respective degrees of difference or similarity(e.g., distances) with the target user in terms of their applicationusage patterns. The computing device may determine the collection ofusers to be a number of top ranked users. In some examples, thecomputing device may determine the collection of users to be the topranked users whose distances with the target user in terms of theirapplication usage patterns are below a threshold distance and/or whosedegrees of similarities with the target user in terms of theirapplication usage patterns are above a threshold degree of similarity.

In step 1313, the computing device may determine a group of applicationsfrom which recommended applications may be selected for recommending tothe target user. The group of applications may comprise, for examples,applications that the target user rarely uses but the collection ofusers (as determined in step 1311) use (e.g., during a number ofprevious calculation periods). For example, the group of applicationsmay be determined based on the amounts of application usage from thetarget user and/or the collection of users as determined in step 1311.The computing device may use data such as those indicated in Table-3 andTable-4. The computing device may determine whether a particular userrarely uses or regularly uses an application based on determiningwhether the amount of usage of the application by the user satisfies athreshold.

In step 1315, the computing device may determine, from the group ofapplications as determined in step 1313, an application for which arecommendation score may be determined (e.g., according to step 1317 asdescribed in greater detail below). For example, the computing devicemay (e.g., sequentially, randomly, etc.) select, from the group ofapplications, an application for which a recommendation score may bedetermined. In step 1319, the computing device may determine whetherrecommendation scores have been determined for all of the group ofapplications. If recommendation scores have been determined for all ofthe group of applications (step 1319: Y), the method may proceed to step1321. If recommendation scores have not been determined for all of thegroup of applications (step 1319: N), the method may repeat step 1315.For example, the computing device may select, from the group ofapplications, a next application, and may determine a recommendationscore for that application.

In step 1317, the computing device may determine a recommendation scorefor the application as determined in step 1315. The recommendation scorefor the application may be determined based on usage of the applicationby the collection of users determined in step 1311. As one example,recommendation score for the application may be determined according tothe following equation(s):

$\begin{matrix}{p_{ui} = \frac{{\Sigma_{v \in {S{({u,k})}}}\left( {r_{vi} - \overset{¯}{r_{v}}} \right)} \times S_{uv}}{\Sigma_{v \in {S{({u,k})}}}S_{uv}}} & (7)\end{matrix}$

In the equation (7), u may represent the target user, i may represent anindex for an application from the group of applications, p_(ui) mayrepresent a recommendation score to the target user for the ithapplication from the group of applications, S(u, k) may represent thecollection of users (e.g., determined in step 1311), S_(uv) mayrepresent the degree of similarity on application usage between thetarget user and a user v from the collection of the users, r_(vi) mayrepresent the amount of time (e.g., of the last 20 days) during whichthe user v used the ith application, r_(v) may represent the amount oftime (e.g., of the last 20 days) during which the user v used the groupof applications (determined in step 1313) divided by the quantity of thegroup of applications. In some examples, S_(uv) may be calculatedaccording to the equations (5) and (6) as described above.

For example, the following shows an example table of the determinedrecommendation scores.

TABLE 5 APP APP APP APP App User group User Similarity D E F G H Team 1User 2 0.9867 330 230 400 10 0 Team 7 User 6 0.9068 130 300 0 120 0 Team7 User 7 0.9155 270 120 230 60 30 Recommendation 95.94 66.81 65.53−88.12 −140.15 Score

As shown in the example of Table-5, the computing device may determinethe group of applications (step 1313) to comprise App D, App, E, App F,App G, App H. Recommendation scores may be determined for each of theseapplications, for example, according to the equation (7).

In step 1321, the computing device may determine recommendedapplications based on the recommendation scores determined in step 1317.The computing device may rank the group of applications (as determinedin step 1313) based on their respective recommendation scores. Thecomputing device may determine the recommended applications to be aquantity (e.g., 5) of top ranked applications. In some examples, thecomputing device may determine the recommended applications to be thetop ranked applications with recommendation scores higher than athreshold (e.g., 0).

Referring back to FIG. 10, in step 1021, the computing device may sendthe top ranked application(s) as determined in step 1013 and/or therecommended applications as determined in step 1019 (and/or step 1321).For example, the computing device may send information indicating theseapplications to the delivery controller 711 for presenting to the targetuser as customized application information. In some examples, theinformation indicating these applications may be sent directly orindirectly to any other computing device (such as the user device 701Acorresponding to the target user). In some examples, the user device701A may display, on a user interface of the user device 701A, theapplication information for (e.g., customized to) the target userassociated with the user device 701A as determined by the computingdevice. The user device 701A may display the application information(e.g., customized application information) in various manners. Forexample, applications indicated in the customized applicationinformation may be presented as icons, textual identifiers, buttons,toggles, etc., the selection of which (e.g., by the target user via aninput device) may cause the user device 701A and/or associated computingdevice(s) (e.g., an application virtualization platform) to implementthe selected application and to present the implemented application tothe user. With the application information (e.g., customized applicationlists) displayed on user interfaces, users may have expedited access tointerested applications.

The application information (e.g., customized application list,customized application set, customized application collection, etc.) forthe target user may indicate the top ranked applications and therecommended applications. The top ranked applications indicated in theinformation may be organized in the order of their respective usagescore rankings (e.g., from high scores to low scores). The recommendedapplications indicated in the information may be organized in the orderof their respective recommendation score rankings (e.g., from highscores to low scores) and may be appended to the end of the top rankedapplications. The applications indicated in the information (e.g., list)may be presented and/or organized on a user interface in the orderaccording to their rankings. In some examples, a user device may presentthe application information using two sections to separately display thetop ranked applications and the recommended applications. And individualsections of the two sections may indicate to the user which type ofapplications the section is presenting (e.g., using a title for thesection). For example, the user device may display a first sectiontitled “top ranked applications,” and a second section titled“recommended application.” The first section and the second section maybe displayed on a same user interface page or on different userinterface pages (e.g., different tabs).

FIG. 16 shows an example user interface 1600 for expedited access toapplications. The user interface 1600 may be implemented on a computingdevice (e.g., a personal computer or a mobile device). For example, theuser interface 1600 may be displayed on a screen of the computingdevice. The user interface 1600 may indicate one or more applications(e.g., customized applications) for selection by a user. Theapplications indicated in the user interface 1600 are shown in the formof icons, but they may be represented in other desired forms. Theselection of an application from the user interface 1600 may cause thecomputing device and/or associated computing devices to implement theapplication, and/or may cause the implemented application to beoutputted (e.g., via the screen of the computing device for the user'sinstant access). As shown in FIG. 16, the user interface 1600 mayindicate a title “Customized Applications,” and may indicate a pluralityof applications, such as APP A1 to APP A8 and APP B1 to APP B5. APP A1to APP A8 may correspond to the top ranked applications as determinedusing the processes described herein for the user associated with thecomputing device. APP B1 to APP B5 may correspond to the recommendedapplications as determined using the processes described herein for theuser associated with the computing device. APP A1 to APP A8 may beordered based on their respective usage score rankings (e.g., from highscores to low scores). APP B1 to APP B5 may be ordered based on theirrespective recommendation score rankings (e.g., from high scores to lowscores), and may be appended to the end of the top ranked applicationsAPP A1 to APP A8. The user interface 1600 may be organized in otherdesired manners, such as showing the application identifiers in a singlecolumn or showing the application identifiers in a single row.

FIGS. 17A-17B show example user interfaces 1700, 1750 for expeditedaccess to applications. The user interfaces 1700, 1750 are similar tothe user interface 1600, but show the top ranked applications APP A1 toAPP A8 and the recommended applications APP B1 to APP B5 separately intwo tabs. For example, when the tab “Top Ranked Applications” isactivated, the top ranked applications APP A1 to APP A8 may be shown inthe user interface 1700. When the tab “Recommended Applications” isactivated, the recommended applications APP B1 to APP B5 may be shown inthe user interface 1750. The applications shown in the user interfaces1700, 1750 may be selected by a user for instant access of the selectedapplications.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example method for providing expeditedexcess to applications. In step 1801, a computing device may identifyapplications launched by a first client device, the identificationincluding a determination of an amount of time in which individualapplications were in use on the first client device, as described abovein greater detail in connection with, for example, step 1111 of FIG. 11.In step 1803, the computing device may determine a usage score of theidentified applications of the first client device based on thedetermined amount of time in which the individual applications were inuse, as described above in greater detail in connection with, forexample, step 1113 of FIG. 11. In step 1805, the computing device mayidentify other client devices based on the determined usage score of theidentified applications launched by the first client device, asdescribed above in greater detail in connection with, for example, step1311 of FIG. 13. In step 1807, the computing device may determine atleast one recommended application to make accessible to the first clientdevice, the at least one recommended application being an application ofat least one of the identified other client devices, as described abovein greater detail in connection with, for example, step 1321 of FIG. 13.In some examples, the at least one recommended application may include ausage score approximate to a usage score of an identified application ofthe first client device. In step 1809, the computing device may provideaccess to the at least one recommended application via a user interfaceof the first client device so as to reduce time in which to launch theat least one recommended application via the first client device, asdescribed above in greater detail in connection with, for example, step1021 of FIG. 10 and steps 913 and 915 of FIG. 9.

The following paragraphs (M1) through (M14) describe examples of methodsthat may be implemented in accordance with the present disclosure.

(M1) A method comprising: identifying, by a computing device,applications launched by a first client device, the identificationincluding a determination of an amount of time in which individualapplications were in use on the first client device; determining, by thecomputing device, a usage score of the identified applications of thefirst client device based on the determined amount of time in which theindividual applications were in use; identifying, by the computingdevice, other client devices based on the determined usage score of theidentified applications launched by the first client device;determining, by the computing device, at least one recommendedapplication to make accessible to the first client device, the at leastone recommended application being an application of at least one of theidentified other client devices; and providing, by the computing device,access to the at least one recommended application via a user interfaceof the first client device so as to reduce time in which to launch theat least one recommended application via the first client device.

(M2) A method may be performed as described in paragraph (M1) furthercomprising: receiving, by the computing device and from the first clientdevice, data indicating an application usage event; wherein theapplication usage event indicates a first application outputted via thefirst client device and a time interval during which the firstapplication was outputted via the first client device.

(M3) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M2) wherein the amount of time in which the individualapplications were in use on the first client device indicates an amountof time during which the individual applications were outputted via anactive window of a desktop of the first client device.

(M4) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M3) wherein the amount of time in which the individualapplications were in use on the first client device indicates an amountof time within a first calculation period, and wherein the determiningthe usage score of the identified applications of the first clientdevice is based on one or more amounts of time within one or more secondcalculation periods.

(M5) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M4) further comprising: assigning, by the computing device,different weights to the amount of time within the first calculationperiod and the one or more amounts of time within the one or more secondcalculation periods; wherein the determining the usage score of theidentified applications of the first client device is based on thedifferent weights.

(M6) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M5) wherein the determining the usage score of the identifiedapplications of the first client device is based on a previous usagescore of the identified applications of the first client device.

(M7) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M6) wherein the determining the usage score of the identifiedapplications of the first client device comprises: assigning, by thecomputing device, a first weight to the amount of time in which theindividual applications were in use on the first client device; andassigning, by the computing device, a second weight to the previoususage score of the identified applications of the first client device.

(M8) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M7) wherein the first weight and the second weight aredetermined based on a number of times that the determining the usagescore of the identified applications of the first client device isperformed.

(M9) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M8) further comprising: receiving, by the computing device andfrom a directory service, data indicating a plurality of user groups;determining, by the computing device and from the plurality of usergroups, a first user group associated with the first client device; anddetermining, by the computing device and from the plurality of usergroups, one or more second user groups associated with similar groupapplication usage attributes as the first user group; wherein the otherclient devices are associated with users of the one or more second usergroups.

(M10) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M9) wherein the determining the one or more second user groupscomprises: determining, by the computing device and for a second usergroup of the one or more second user groups, a set of applications usedby the second user group; and determining, by the computing device, thata degree of overlap between the set of applications used by the seconduser group and a set of applications used by the first user groupsatisfies a threshold degree of overlap.

(M11) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M10) wherein the identifying the other client devicescomprises: determining, by the computing device and for a client deviceof the other client devices, a vector of application usage attributes,wherein the vector indicates one or more amounts of application usagetime; and determining, by the computing device, a distance between thevector for the client device of the other client devices and a vectorfor the first client device.

(M12) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M11) further comprising: selecting, by the computing device,from the identified applications of the first client device, and basedon the usage score of the identified applications of the first clientdevice, at least one top ranked application.

(M13) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M12) wherein the determining the at least one recommendedapplication comprises determining the at least one recommendedapplication other than the at least one top ranked application.

(M14) A method may be performed as described in any of paragraphs (M1)through (M13) wherein the determining the usage score of the identifiedapplications of the first client device is based on a type ofapplication usage of the identified applications of the first clientdevice.

The following paragraphs (A1) through (A3) describe examples ofapparatuses that may be implemented in accordance with the presentdisclosure.

(A1) A computing device comprising: one or more processors; and memorystoring instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors,cause the computing device to: identify applications launched by a firstclient device, the identification including a determination of an amountof time in which individual applications were in use on the first clientdevice; determine a usage score of the identified applications of thefirst client device based on the determined amount of time in which theindividual applications were in use; identify other client devices basedon the determined usage score of the identified applications launched bythe first client device; determine at least one recommended applicationto make accessible to the first client device, the at least onerecommended application being an application of at least one of theidentified other client devices; and provide access to the at least onerecommended application via a user interface of the first client deviceso as to reduce time in which to launch the at least one recommendedapplication via the first client device.

(A2) A computing device may be implemented as described in paragraph(A1) wherein the amount of time in which the individual applicationswere in use on the first client device indicates an amount of timeduring which the individual applications were outputted via an activewindow of a desktop of the first client device.

(A3) A computing device may be implemented as described in any ofparagraphs (A1) through (A2) wherein the determining the usage score ofthe identified applications of the first client device is based on aprevious usage score of the identified applications of the first clientdevice.

The following paragraphs (CRM1) through (CRM3) describe examples ofcomputer-readable media that may be implemented in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

(CRM1) One or more non-transitory computer readable media storingcomputer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a computingdevice to: identify applications launched by a first client device, theidentification including a determination of an amount of time in whichindividual applications were in use on the first client device;determine a usage score of the identified applications of the firstclient device based on the determined amount of time in which theindividual applications were in use; identify other client devices basedon the determined usage score of the identified applications launched bythe first client device; determine at least one recommended applicationto make accessible to the first client device, the at least onerecommended application being an application of at least one of theidentified other client devices; and provide access to the at least onerecommended application via a user interface of the first client deviceso as to reduce time in which to launch the at least one recommendedapplication via the first client device.

(CRM2) One or more non-transitory computer readable media may beimplemented as described in paragraph (CRM1) wherein the amount of timein which the individual applications were in use on the first clientdevice indicates an amount of time during which the individualapplications were outputted via an active window of a desktop of thefirst client device.

(CRM3) One or more non-transitory computer readable media may beimplemented as described in any of paragraphs (CRM1) through (CRM2)wherein the determining the usage score of the identified applicationsof the first client device is based on a previous usage score of theidentified applications of the first client device.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are described asexample implementations of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: identifying, by a computingdevice, applications launched by a first client device, theidentification including a determination of an amount of time in whichindividual applications were in use on the first client device;determining, by the computing device, a usage score of the identifiedapplications of the first client device based on the determined amountof time in which the individual applications were in use; identifying,by the computing device, other client devices based on the determinedusage score of the identified applications launched by the first clientdevice; determining, by the computing device, at least one recommendedapplication to make accessible to the first client device, the at leastone recommended application being an application of at least one of theidentified other client devices; and providing, by the computing device,access to the at least one recommended application via a user interfaceof the first client device so as to reduce time in which to launch theat least one recommended application via the first client device.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the computingdevice and from the first client device, data indicating an applicationusage event; wherein the application usage event indicates a firstapplication outputted via the first client device and a time intervalduring which the first application was outputted via the first clientdevice.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of time in whichthe individual applications were in use on the first client deviceindicates an amount of time during which the individual applicationswere outputted via an active window of a desktop of the first clientdevice.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of time in whichthe individual applications were in use on the first client deviceindicates an amount of time within a first calculation period, andwherein the determining the usage score of the identified applicationsof the first client device is based on one or more amounts of timewithin one or more second calculation periods.
 5. The method of claim 4,further comprising: assigning, by the computing device, differentweights to the amount of time within the first calculation period andthe one or more amounts of time within the one or more secondcalculation periods; wherein the determining the usage score of theidentified applications of the first client device is based on thedifferent weights.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining theusage score of the identified applications of the first client device isbased on a previous usage score of the identified applications of thefirst client device.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determiningthe usage score of the identified applications of the first clientdevice comprises: assigning, by the computing device, a first weight tothe amount of time in which the individual applications were in use onthe first client device; and assigning, by the computing device, asecond weight to the previous usage score of the identified applicationsof the first client device.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the firstweight and the second weight are determined based on a number of timesthat the determining the usage score of the identified applications ofthe first client device is performed.
 9. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving, by the computing device and from a directoryservice, data indicating a plurality of user groups; determining, by thecomputing device and from the plurality of user groups, a first usergroup associated with the first client device; and determining, by thecomputing device and from the plurality of user groups, one or moresecond user groups associated with similar group application usageattributes as the first user group; wherein the other client devices areassociated with users of the one or more second user groups.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the determining the one or more second usergroups comprises: determining, by the computing device and for a seconduser group of the one or more second user groups, a set of applicationsused by the second user group; and determining, by the computing device,that a degree of overlap between the set of applications used by thesecond user group and a set of applications used by the first user groupsatisfies a threshold degree of overlap.
 11. The method of claim 1,wherein the identifying the other client devices comprises: determining,by the computing device and for a client device of the other clientdevices, a vector of application usage attributes, wherein the vectorindicates one or more amounts of application usage time; anddetermining, by the computing device, a distance between the vector forthe client device of the other client devices and a vector for the firstclient device.
 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting,by the computing device, from the identified applications of the firstclient device, and based on the usage score of the identifiedapplications of the first client device, at least one top rankedapplication.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining the atleast one recommended application comprises determining the at least onerecommended application other than the at least one top rankedapplication.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining theusage score of the identified applications of the first client device isbased on a type of application usage of the identified applications ofthe first client device.
 15. A computing device comprising: one or moreprocessors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by theone or more processors, cause the computing device to: identifyapplications launched by a first client device, the identificationincluding a determination of an amount of time in which individualapplications were in use on the first client device; determine a usagescore of the identified applications of the first client device based onthe determined amount of time in which the individual applications werein use; identify other client devices based on the determined usagescore of the identified applications launched by the first clientdevice; determine at least one recommended application to makeaccessible to the first client device, the at least one recommendedapplication being an application of at least one of the identified otherclient devices; and provide access to the at least one recommendedapplication via a user interface of the first client device so as toreduce time in which to launch the at least one recommended applicationvia the first client device.
 16. The computing device of claim 15,wherein the amount of time in which the individual applications were inuse on the first client device indicates an amount of time during whichthe individual applications were outputted via an active window of adesktop of the first client device.
 17. The computing device of claim15, wherein the determining the usage score of the identifiedapplications of the first client device is based on a previous usagescore of the identified applications of the first client device.
 18. Oneor more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readableinstructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to: identifyapplications launched by a first client device, the identificationincluding a determination of an amount of time in which individualapplications were in use on the first client device; determine a usagescore of the identified applications of the first client device based onthe determined amount of time in which the individual applications werein use; identify other client devices based on the determined usagescore of the identified applications launched by the first clientdevice; determine at least one recommended application to makeaccessible to the first client device, the at least one recommendedapplication being an application of at least one of the identified otherclient devices; and provide access to the at least one recommendedapplication via a user interface of the first client device so as toreduce time in which to launch the at least one recommended applicationvia the first client device.
 19. The one or more non-transitory computerreadable media of claim 18, wherein the amount of time in which theindividual applications were in use on the first client device indicatesan amount of time during which the individual applications wereoutputted via an active window of a desktop of the first client device.20. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 18,wherein the determining the usage score of the identified applicationsof the first client device is based on a previous usage score of theidentified applications of the first client device.